Point Break (1991)

An F.B.I. Agent goes undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers.

Director:

Kathryn Bigelow

Writers:

Rick King (story), W. Peter Iliff (story)

Stars:

Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Patrick Swayze	...	Bodhi
Keanu Reeves	...	Johnny Utah
Gary Busey	...	Pappas
Lori Petty	...	Tyler
John C. McGinley	...	Ben Harp (as John McGinley)
James Le Gros	...	Roach
John Philbin	...	Nathanial
Bojesse Christopher	...	Grommet
Julian Reyes	...	Alvarez
Daniel Beer	...	Babbit
Chris Pedersen	...	Bunker
Vincent Klyn	...	Warchild
Anthony Kiedis	...	Tone
Dave Olson	...	Archbold
Lee Tergesen	...	Rosie

Storyline

In Los Angeles, California, a gang of bank robbers call themselves The Ex-Presidents. commit their crimes while wearing masks of ex-Presidents Reagan, Carter, Nixon, and Johnson. The F.B.I. believes that the members of the gang could be surfers, and send young Agent Johnny Utah undercover at the beach to mix with the surfers and gather information. Utah meets surfer Bodhi, and gets drawn into the lifestyle of his new friend.

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Plot Keywords:

surfer | bank robbery | title directed by female | male bonding | robbery | 

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Taglines:

100% Pure Adrenaline.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was director Kathryn Bigelow's first film to be shot in 2.39:1. This film, Strange Days (1995), and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) are her only films that were made in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio, through the Super 35 format.

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Goofs

When at the gas station, Pappas is right behind the hijacked car and opens fire on the criminals through the back window. Even though he fires several times into the back of the vehicle at point-blank range, nobody is hit and there is no further damage inside the vehicle.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Shooting Instructor: [Agent Utah finishes his gun range test] 100%, Utah. Good job!

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Alternate Versions

In the Canada version, approximately two seconds were cut when Utah was talking to Harp in Harp's office.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Greatest Skydiving Scenes in Movies (2015)

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Soundtracks

Down to the Wire
Performed by Little Caesar
Written by Ronald Curtis Young, Jimmy Haynes aka Apache, Fidel Angel Paniagua, Lauren Douglas Molinare,
Thomas Nielson Morris
Produced by Mike Clink
Courtesy of DGC Records

User Reviews

The Sum is larger than the Parts.

Movies are like Bands. People come together--maybe they're not even the greatest musicians individually--but together, something meshes and they make great music. It takes more than great musicians to make a great band. Just so, some movies, no matter how much money, talent, and horsepower is brought to bear, just don't coalesce. Others, like Point Break, come together with an ineffable "rightness" that defies any of the parts, logic, or analysis. This is one of my favorite movies. Period. Everything "works." This movie ROCKS.

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 July 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Johnny Utah

Filming Locations:

Neptune's Net - 42505 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,514,616, 14 July 1991

Gross USA:

$43,218,387

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$83,531,958

Company Credits

Production Co:

Largo Entertainment, JVC Entertainment Networks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby SR (35 mm prints) DTS (5.1)

Color:

Color (Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1