Break Away is an independent, Christian movie

Break Away is an independent, Christian movie by the film makers who made Faith Like Potatoes. Frans Cronje and Morne Theunissen are both writers and directors in this 2012 low budget movie. Frans is also the main actor. It shares the story of Francois, a former rugby star turned corporate marketing executive. At the beginning of the movie we see him at his peak in charge of a team and encouraging them to reach for the final leg of an important project they’ve been working on. Within five minutes of the film however, everything goes south as he finds out he and his team are being retrenched (fired). He is a likeable fellow because he is hardworking and appears to care deeply about the welfare of his team. Meanwhile I emote with him as he takes the difficult and dishonest stand to hide this news from his wife and family for four months while he scours company after company in search of comparable work.

He reaches a nadir when his car breaks down, he has to take a bike to a company where his proposal is also subsequently rejected, but an idea pops into his head to courier a package when the same company realizes they can’t get their work to another location on time. This is the point where he rises several notches in esteem for me. For while this might seem quite below his station he is a family man, a husband and provider first of all and after confessing to his wife that hed been laid off and rededicating himself to the Lord we see him not afraid of doing whatever it takes to provide.

I empathize with him as he gets several calls from his lending company demanding that he pay up on the two months outstanding mortgage he owes. I wonder how hell survive after his furniture is taken, he can’t afford to fix his car and all he has is a newspaper courier job.

But Francois has a competitive edge, a fighting spirit and a bicycle friend on his side. He decides to enter a Tour De South Africa style race. Which surely has a purse at the end, but his emphasis from the beginning is on giving hope to himself and others like him who might feel that all hope is gone. That they are a has been as he himself was described.

Two of the most stirring moments for me in this film included the last few miles of the Tour when Francois is raced by a fan on a horse along the road. It is man on beast versus man on bike for almost thirty seconds of filming incredible footage! Then as he crosses the finish line just a bike wheel away from his competitor in a photo finish which had me in tears both times that I watched it!

Later on with all this publicity and fame, he is noticed once again and rewarded with a corporate job offer complete with a new team. A Job-like restoration for his faithfulness. His faith is quite evident throughout the movie especially when he is challenged by his Italian bike store friend to take what he has in his hand and use it. This was a reference to the boy with the five loaves and two fish found in the gospel. In his case, what he had to work with was a bike.

This movie really speaks to me personally because of my own personal difficulties in a failed marriage which had similarities with Francois downsizing when my ex lost his position as a business executive. But thats where the similarity ends. Unlike our protagonist, he was not willing to do whatever it took, no matter humble to restore and provide for his family. I got the distinct feeling that certain jobs were beneath him unlike Francois. So while watching this movie it was bittersweet. I kept rooting for Francois and greatly admired his strength, vulnerability and faith in God. I enjoyed seeing the restoration, but also equally importantly the way he used what was in his hands, - a simple bike. I’ve watched this movie several times and would highly recommend it for general audience viewing.

 CONTACT HOURS