The tagline for George Lucas’ pre-Star Wars breakthrough American Graffiti reads
“Where were you in 62?”
Simply put, I was a quarter of a century away from being born. Even so, if the film were set in 1962, 1922, or 2006 (the year I graduated), the film would still showcase human elements that apply to young adults everywhere.
The premise of the 50 year old film is so simple, as a group of friends have individual experiences on a night to remember before two of them, Curt (Richard Dreyfuss) and Steve (Ron Howard, back during the time he was “Ronny”) are set to go to college. Each, along with the car racing hometown hero John (Paul Le Mat) and the lovable misfit with a good heart Terry (Charles Martin Smith, looking like the prototype for Superbad’s Mclovin) go on their own ways toward a little bit of self discovery.
Others in the cast include the late Cindy Williams as Steve’s girlfriend Laurie (who is also Curt’s sister) and Candy Clark as Terry’s new girl/semi-dumb blonde with a decent heart Debbie (which nabbed her an Oscar nom). There is also the character of Bob Falfa, looking to race the undefeated John in a car race, played by a young actor named Harrison Ford.
Coming of age stories on the big screen have been around before (going as far back as the 1930s) and after American Graffiti (as recent as Are you there God? It’s Me Margaret), taking place in many time periods. The changing of the times is something that is inevitable (not just the cars, but the idea of just being able to take trips with people you just met). Still, the feelings of insecurity, uncertainness, anger, ambition, and all the other feelings young people try to express are evident.
Perhaps what has aged the strangest in the film is that of the character of Carol, the 12 year old girl who ends up being chaperoned by John throughout the night. Carol (played memorably by Mackenzie Phillips, with one of the better lines of the film that comes right back to bite her) is truly beyond her years (and at times is the smartest character in the whole film), being the best ying to John’s yang. Of course, nowadays, a 12 year old riding around with a stranger who is barely an adult is beyond inappropriate. Nevertheless, it is an essential part to John’s story arc.
Parents, the PG rating would more than likely be a PG-13 rating. It is mainly for swearing and some minor sexual situations.
It is rather interesting to learn of certain things that have stayed in our culture for so long. I’m not just talking about the awkwardness of growing up, but things such as needing someone to buy you alcohol and “he who smelt it dealt it”. I’m sure things like the latter were used more than once in Lucas’ day (he did write the script).
One of the best quotes of the film is about how it makes no sense, “to leave home to look for home, to to give up a life to find a new life, to say goodbye to friends you love just to find new friends”.
Think about how universal that is.
Overall:
Nothing else to say 