A Point-by-Point Comparison of the Films The Fast And The Furious and Point Break

by Justin Anderson

Synopsis:

The Fast And The Furious - Undercover police officer Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) must delve into Los Angeles’ exotic street racing subculture to crack a ring of daring hijackers.

Point Break - Undercover FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) must delve into Los Angeles’ exotic surfing subculture to crack a ring of daring bank robbers, the Ex-Presidents.

The Fast And The Furious - Film features long, lovingly-shot racing sequences.

Point Break - Film features long, lovingly-shot surfing sequences.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian initially has trouble picking up race car driving, embarrassing himself on the racing scene.

Point Break - Utah has trouble picking up surfing, embarrassing himself on the surfing scene.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian falls for waitress Mia (Jordanna Brewster), the sister of the mysterious, charismatic Dominic (Vin Diesel). Dominic’s initially wary of their relationship.

Point Break - Utah falls for waitress Tyler (Lori Petty), the ex-lover of the mysterious, charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). Bodhi’s initially wary of their relationship.

The Fast And The Furious - Mia initially spurns Brian’s advances, finding his flirting irritating.

Point Break - Tyler initially spurns Utah’s advances, finding his flirting irritating.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian’s first encounter with Dominic's gang of scruffy, roughneck racers is tense.

Point Break - Utah’s first encounter with Bodhi’s gang of scruffy, roughneck surfers is tense.

The Fast And The Furious - Prominent popular musician (Ja Rule) plays supporting role as an competing driver. His last scene in the movie is a comical one, as he loses the race and is dissed by his girl. ("Nigga, you didn’t win!")

Point Break - Prominent popular musician (Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis) plays supporting role as an evil surfer. His last scene in the movie is a comical one, as he accidentally shoots himself in the foot. ("Aaaaah!")

The Fast And The Furious - Dom's gang, and Dom himself, think Brian’s too preppy and square.

Point Break - Bodhi’s gang, and Bodhi himself, think Utah’s too preppy and square.

The Fast And The Furious - The handsome, magnetic Dom's popular with the ladies, making girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) a bit jealous.

Point Break - The handsome, magnetic Bodhi’s popular with the ladies, making ex-girlfriend Tyler jealous.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian and Dom share their first bonding moment when Brian rescues Dom from the cops.

Point Break - Utah and Bodhi share their first bonding moment when Bodhi rescues Utah from a band of rival surfers.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian and Dominic eventually bond over shrimp and fries at a restaurant on the beach.

Point Break - Utah and Tyler eventually bond when he orders shrimp and fries at a restaurant on the beach.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian’s investigation is assisted by Tanner (Ted Levine), his grizzled, veteran partner.

Point Break - Utah’s investigation is assisted by Pappas (Gary Busey), his grizzled, veteran partner.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian's under pressure from FBI Agent Bilkins (Thom Berry), his commanding officer, to solve the case.

Point Break - Utah’s under pressure from FBI Agent Harp (John C. McGinley), his commanding officer, to solve the case.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian participates in a raid on sinister racer Johnny Tran (Rick Yune) and his gang. He’s subsequently disgraced in the department's eyes when it’s revealed Tran’s gang, though they were in fact involved in criminal dealings, are the wrong guys.

Point Break - Utah participates in a raid on sinister surfer Bunker (Chris Pedersen) and his gang. He’s subsequently disgraced in the department's eyes when it’s revealed that Bunker’s gang, though they were in fact involved in criminal dealings, are the wrong guys.

The Fast And The Furious - Tanner fears Brian’s proximity to Mia and the charismatic Dom is clouding his vision to the truth: that Dom’s crew is the gang they’re looking for.

Point Break - Pappas fears that Utah’s proximity to Tyler and the charismatic Bodhi is clouding his vision of the truth: that Bodhi’s crew is gang they're looking for.

The Fast And The Furious - Dom’s obsessed with the car that his late father built, yet he also fears it. It ironically figures into what appears to be his ultimate fate.

Point Break - Bodhi’s obsessed with surfing the "50 Year Storm" in bells Beach, Australia, the biggest wave break in the world, yet he also fears it. It ironically figures into what appears to be his ultimate fate.

The Fast And The Furious - Brian risks everything when he finds himself involved in the gang's final, botched hijacking, as two of the gang are wounded by the reckless actions of a driver trying to be a vigilante. It was meant to be their last job.

Point Break - Utah risks everything when he finds himself involved in the Ex-Presidents’ final, botched robbery, as two of the gang are killed by the reckless actions of an off-duty cop trying to be a vigilante. It was meant to be their last job for the summer.

The Fast And The Furious - Dominic has a philosophical, quasi-spiritual view of racing ("I live my life a quarter-mile at a time.")

Point Break - Bodhi has a philosophical, spiritual view of surfing ("Feel what the wave is doing. Then accept its energy, get in sync, then charge with it... [Surfing]’s a state of mind. It’s that place where you lose yourself and you find yourself.")

The Fast And The Furious - Brian eventually acts against his instincts as a law officer and lets Dominic go. The film ends with Dominic driving away, with his fate left ambiguous. Brian walks away in slow motion as the end credit music swells.

Point Break - Utah eventually acts against his instincts as a law officer and lets Bodhi go. The film ends with Bodhi surfing into a massive wave, with his fate left ambiguous. Utah walks away as the end credit music swells

The Fast And The Furious - Ted Levine, who plays the veteran partner, coincidentally went on to play the villain in another driving movie, Joy Ride (which also starred Paul Walker).

Point Break - Gary Busey, who plays the veteran partner, coincidentally went on to play the villain in another skydiving movie, Drop Zone.