Rotten
Unfortunately, overblown production just pumps hot air in too many directions and comes up limp.
Variety Staff, Variety
American Flyers
Two brothers challenge the road. And life itself.
1985 · 1h 53m · PG-13
Drama
Directed by
John Badham
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American Flyers
Overview
When Dr. Marcus Sommers realizes that he and his troubled, estranged brother David may be prone a fatal brain disease that runs in their family, he decides to make peace with his sibling, and invites him on a trip to the Rockies. There, the brothers bond over their shared enthusiasm for cycling and decide to enter a grueling bike race through the mountains. However, Marcus' health soon begins to fail, and David must compete without his brother at his side.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
70%
Tomatometer
Fresh
A pleasant, straight-down-the-road, cliche-ridden ride.
Wally Hammond, Time Out
Rotten
The performances aren't bad, but they aren't good enough to give the film the heft it doesn't otherwise have.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Rotten
American Flyers is shaky at the core, because it tries to tap-dance around its own central issues.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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