American Graffiti




We'll take 'em all.

American Graffiti follows four High School grads on the night before a few of them go away for college. In 1962 America people have apparently nothing better to do than drive around all night listening to tunes and picking up girls. The story goes about in a nonlinear fashion as the four have various misadventures, covering everything from holdups to drag races.

This is the kind of movie that you aren't likely to forget. While it may appear to merely be an entertaining tale of a night out on the town, it is so much more. Even those that weren't around back then can appreciate the way the era is so vividly and honestly brought to life. George Lucas took his love of the era, including the cars and music, to create a nostalgic look back. All of which is set to a continuous track of rock and roll classics.

The characters are all fleshed out in ways that put Lucas' newer Star Wars films to shame. Steve (Ron Howard) is ready to get out of this "turkey town," but finds that there might be reasons to stay. Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) is almost exactly the opposite, wondering why he is set to get on that plane. This forms the main premise, though each of them has an undeniably unique night.

There is something for everyone in this film. Indeed, the characters are so diverse you have to identify with at least a few of them. The story also manages to combine more than its fair share of kicks, humor and tenderness. There is a surprising bitter-sweetness that permeates everything. This was the end of an age of innocence, as Vietnam was just on the horizon. The moment is captured in such a beautiful and rare way.

Top notch acting gives this movie a lot of the energy it needs. While the leads do excellent work, there is also a strong supporting cast. From nerdy Terry (Charles Martin Smith) and his ditsy date (Candy Clark) to the overly macho (and then unknown) Harrison Ford, the characters are consistently nailed. There are also a few stand out performances like Mackenzie Phillips as young and naive Carol. There's also Cindy Williams, who makes Laurie far more than just Steve's girlfriend.

There's just something about this movie that grabs hold from beginning to end. Not only is it entertaining, but soulful and sincere in a way that doesn't come along often.



-The Gnome