Rent American Graffiti on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: George Lucas and Gloria Katz & Willard Huyck
Directed by: George Lucas
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Harrison Ford
Rated: PG [PG-13]
Watch the trailer
Plot
A group of teenagers in California's central valley spend one final night cruising the strip with their buddies before they pursue their varying goals, after their 1962 high school graduation.
Verdict
This fully captures a time period while also remaining timeless. The movie is a great snapshot of the sixties and a distant look back at high school for all ages, condensing the ups, downs, and misadventures in one action packed night. While times and fashion change, graduating high school and the myriad of possibilities that creates remains a constant. We see that through four characters as they have the night of their lives.
Watch It.
Review
This is one of those coming of age high school type movies that defines a generation; American Graffiti for the 60s, Dazed and Confused for the 70s, The Breakfast Club for the 80s, Can't Hardly Wait for the 90s. These movies capture a penultimate time during high school, remaining relevant to all ages.
Teens hang out at a diner before cruising around town. What is it with teens needing to hang out in a parking lot? It's a tradition that still continues. It was the bowling alley parking lot for me, and now I often see groups of cars at Sheetz. This is the misadventures of four friends cruising the strip.
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| Richard Dreyfuss, Charles Martin Smith, Ron Howard play Curt, Terry Steve |
Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) is soon off to college, the quintessential 'good kid' that's scared of what's ahead and wondering about what he's missed by staying out of trouble. Steve (Ron Howard) tells his girlfriend Laurie they should see other people while off at college to "strengthen" their relationship. It's easy to see right through that. John Milner (Paul Le Mat), the drag racer of the group with a 1932 Ford coupe, stayed behind after high school and works as a mechanic. He's holding on to his youth just a bit too hard, and it's ironic that he ends up cruising around with a pre-teen. He's a nice guy, but she's cramping his style. Terry (Charles Martin Smith) is unpopular and ignored.
This is almost a series of vignettes, but all of them equally entertaining. Everyone is looking for a companion and romance on the night. Steve and Laurie are in free fall. She's upset and rightfully so. They were the perfect couple but no longer; their interactions are awkward and stilted. Steve wanted her as a safety net while being able to explore at college. Laurie saw through that. Curt stumbles into a number of adventures and different characters, while Terry gets a chance to reinvent himself while borrowing Steve's 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air. He completes his transformation only to lose it all.
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| 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala, 1956 Buick, 1932 5-Window Ford Coupe |
These teens have graduated high school and it feels like the entire world is ahead of them. That can be intimidating. Curt wonders if he should stay in town. Milner did, either by choice or circumstance. While all of them are ready for a big night, none of them quite have the time they expect. There's good, bad, and in between though they do get a story to tell. All of this is set to a great 60s soundtrack delivered by DJ Wolfman.
While I'd seen this long ago, it's best to see it after you're out of high school to maximize the nostalgia. It captures a time of life about which many like to reminisce. Despite being the '60s it's easy to relate to the feelings of the characters. That remains timeless. I can't help but think Can't Hardly Wait took some inspiration from this from the general mood to some of the plot lines. This has Milner who hasn't moved on, Steve who is too eager, and Curt who is afraid and caught in between. Terry gives hope to the awkward, that you can reinvent yourself if only for one night.
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