Review of American Graffiti (1973) by Cord M — 29 Nov 2018

Before heading off to college, high school graduates spend one final night of hijinks in a Southern California small town.

It's a love letter to the 60's. John's (Paul Le Mat) '32 Deuce Coupé purrs beneath the night lights of a small town in the summer of '62, him awaiting the next sucker that challenges him to a race, cruising around for girls to take for rides as night flickers into dawn. American Graffiti is one of the ultimate summer movies and period pieces, telling the story of a group of teenagers one summer 1962 night in SoCal. It embodies the peak of car culture in America, where teenagers rumbled their Chevys at slow speeds down the streets with no destination and growly-voiced DJ Wolfman Jack taking requests and casting spells over the radio waves. It drips nostalgia, surrounding people in a simpler time that charms from beginning to end and, whether you are familiar with 60's Americana or not, the film will make you fall in love for the first time or all over again.

The soundtrack is boss. Music is a constant in American Graffiti and serves as its own character. Arguably having some of the best series of songs in an American film and certified triple platinum upon its release, the soundtrack boasts 41 playful tunes and sizzles the screen with Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and The Crests howling catchy melodies as seconds tick and car engines boom. The music is irresistible and forces calm toes to wiggle and tap, often provoking the same kind of nostalgic flavor of grandparent's spinning stories of the good ole' days.

A charming cast. Young Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard and even Harrison Ford are among the players in the film and are extremely fun to watch. The actors give off bubbly performances that sweep you into their devil-may-care adventures, yet they can also seamlessly immerse themselves into subtle, understated emotions when the happy-go-lucky events take a turn into the painful reality of leaving friends and lovers behind in order to spark the next chapter of their lives.