American Flyers

American Flyers is a 1985 drama about two estranged brothers who reconnect through competitive cycling. Marcus, a doctor, learns that a hereditary brain condition that killed their father may also affect him and his younger brother David. Hoping to repair their strained relationship, he invites David on a trip to the Rocky Mountains, where the two train together and enter a demanding race through the Colorado mountains. As the competition unfolds, Marcus's health deteriorates, leaving David to face the race largely on his own.

The film was directed by John Badham, the fifth of the fifteen features he directed and his follow-up to Blue Thunder, coming before Short Circuit. Steve Tesich wrote the screenplay, and Paula Weinstein and Gareth Wigan produced it for Warner Bros. Pictures. Kevin Costner plays Marcus, with David Marshall Grant as David, Rae Dawn Chong as Sarah, Alexandra Paul as Becky, Janice Rule as Mrs. Sommers and Luca Bercovici as the rival rider Muzzin. Its credited cast and crew number 105 and 62 respectively.

Released in August 1985, the film runs 113 minutes and took in about 1 million dollars worldwide, a modest return. On IMDb it holds 6.5 out of 10 from roughly 7,300 votes, and on TMDB 6.2 from around 136 votes, indicating a small but fairly steady audience following. A critics' rating of 6.1 from 20 reviews places it close to the audience scores, suggesting broad agreement rather than a sharp divide.