The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 action film directed by Rob Cohen from a screenplay by Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, and David Ayer, based on the Vibe magazine article “Racer X” by Ken Li. The first installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, it stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Ted Levine. In the film, undercover cop Brian O’Conner (Walker) infiltrates a street racing crew to investigate a series of hijackings and finds himself developing a complex friendship with the group’s leader, Dominic Toretto (Diesel).

The Fast and the Furious entered development in late 1998, its concept inspired by Li’s Vibe article about illegal street racing. Thompson and Bergquist wrote the original screenplay that year, with Ayer hired soon after.[4] Various actors were considered for the roles of O’Conner and Toretto, with Walker cast in 1998 and then Diesel in early 1999, with the pair attending actual street races in preparation for the film. Principal photography began in July 2000 and finished that October, with filming locations primarily including Los Angeles and the surrounding area in southern California. Record producer BT was hired to compose the score.

A heist crew driving three heavily modified Honda Civics hijack a semi-truck trailer carrying electronic goods and escape into the night along Terminal Island Freeway. Meanwhile, LAPD officer Brian O’Conner is sent undercover as part of a joint LAPD-FBI task force to locate the crew responsible. Brian investigates Toretto’s Market & Cafe managed by Mia, sister of notorious street racer Dominic “Dom” Toretto. When Dom’s crew arrives—Vince, Leon, Jesse, and Dom’s girlfriend Letty—Vince becomes suspicious of Brian and picks a fight with him. Brian is promptly fired from his undercover job at Harry’s garage and banned from the market.

Brian brings a modified 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS to a car meet, hoping to find a lead on the heist crew. Dom arrives in his RX-7 and initiates a race. Without credibility, Brian wagers his car; he, Dom, and two other drivers race. Brian’s car malfunctions, and Dom wins the race, but LAPD officers arrive, forcing Dom to flee. Brian rescues Dom and helps him escape, inadvertently venturing into territory held by a rival racing gang led by Johnny Tran and his cousin Lance. Tran and Lance destroy the Eclipse, and the two are forced to return to Dom’s home on foot. Dom reiterates that Brian still owes him a ten-second car.

Brian delivers a decrepit MK4 Toyota Supra to Dom’s garage, and the crew begins the process of restoring it. At the same time, Brian begins dating Mia and looks into Tran’s finances. While investigating one of Hector’s garages, Brian is discovered by Dom and Vince; he convinces the latter he is researching Tran’s gang’s vehicles in preparation for Race Wars. In the process, the three discover a large number of electronic goods, which Brian reports to his superiors, LAPD Sergeant Tanner and FBI Special Agent Bilkins. Tran is arrested, but is found to have acquired the goods legally. An enraged Bilkins berates Tanner and Brian. Tanner then informs Brian that the truck drivers have begun arming themselves to kill the hijackers and notifies him that he has 36 hours to find them, whom the former believes was Dom all along.

Brian and Dom attend Race Wars, where Jesse wagers and loses his father’s MK3 Volkswagen Jetta in a drag race against Tran driving his Honda S2000. Jesse flees upon losing, resulting in a confrontation between Dom and Tran. Tran accuses Dom of being a narc, and the two fight before being broken up. That evening, Brian witnesses Dom leaving with his crew to carry out the heist. Brian reveals his identity to a distraught Mia, convincing her to help him knowing their danger. Dom, Letty, Vince, and Leon attempt to hijack the truck; the driver fires on Vince, critically injuring him and running Letty off the road in the process. Brian and Mia catch up to help, but Brian is forced to reveal his identity when he calls for MEDEVAC to save Vince. Dom, Mia, Letty, and Leon flee the scene before the police arrive.