The Fast and the Furious /

The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 street racing action film starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by Rob Cohen, The Fast and the Furious was the first mainstream film to feature the Asian automotive import scene in North America. It is the first film in The Fast and the Furious film series. The concept was loosely inspired by a Vibe magazine article about street racing in New York City. It bears no relation to the earlier racing film of the same name. The plotline is also loosely similar to Point Break. Elite street racer and ex-convict Dominic "Dom" Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew: Jesse (Chad Lindberg), Leon (Johnny Strong), Vince (Matt Schulze), and Dom's girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), use three modified 1995 Honda Civics to perpetrate a string of high-speed, semi-trailer truck hijackings, stealing over $6 million in merchandise. LAPD officer Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) is sent undercover on a joint LAPD-FBI investigation to apprehend the gang. Brian uses his cover job at The Racer's Edge, an aftermarket parts shop, to make connections and infiltrate the local street racing scene.