Bicycle Dreams

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Audience Member I came to this film as a Christmas gift DVD, so it is a piece of art that has found a way to seek me out, as its intended audience - as a lifelong cycling enthusiast (although despite that I was unaware of the RAAM before). So, my opinion is one of someone who has affinity with the sport and in some tiny way I can understand and appreciate the achievements of the competitors. The film is a very good attempt to show people cycling inconceivable distances, through the pain and suffering of the riders and success and "failure" of the competitors. Failure is clearly not the word by the way! The camera doesn't follow the riders but sees them as a spectator might and visits at their moments of crisis, between stints on the bike. Strangely, the landscape is just a bit part in the film, but the highlights are reminiscent of Forrest Gump's wandering phase. Despite the sleeve notes on the DVD the film manages to launch an almighty sucker punch, which caught me full on the chin. Somehow the film manages to overcome that as do most of the riders. The soundtrack is the thread that binds the whole piece together and makes it a whole. It accompanies people driving themselves to the very edge of death, both terrifying in its reality and insightful to the motivations of riders, which is the main thrust of the film. The somewhat abrupt end to the film was, I hope, deliberate. It fulfilled the "leave them wanting more" idea and. I suppose, allowed the viewer to draw their own conclusions? I was expecting more focus on the end of the race, but, in this antithesis of a "bunch sprint", I can see how that was not possible, with riders arriving over several days and nights. As a cyclist myself I think of the many thousands of miles of training the competitors must have done - In many ways the unseen portion of the iceberg - of which the race is just the visible part. The motivation of riders to do those miles, along with all the other demands of work and life is, in many ways, more remarkable. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member This is my fav movie! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Bicycle Dreams

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