American Graffiti - 8 stars out of 10

American Graffiti - 8 stars out of 10

The thing that is great about this film is not the movie itself, but instead the statement that it makes about rock 'n roll culture of the early 60's. It takes the form of a historical preservation of events, as George Lucas turned three phases of his life into three of the main characters. That being said, I don't find the story to be particularly impressive. The above-average acting creates memorable characters who grow as the movie progresses, but they could've grown through a better plot. If nothing else, it is entertaining to see some of our favorite actors (Dreyfuss, Howard, and Ford) performing at a young age. I was particularly impressed with the characterization of Mackenzie Phillips and Charles Martin Smith (as well as Dreyfuss), and honestly cannot understand how Candy Clark received an Oscar nod and none of the others. If anything, I'd list her 6th or 7th of the performances that I enjoyed. The film rightfully did not beat The Sting for best picture, but it will certainly forever be remembered as an accurate and realistic depiction of the cruising culture of the 60's.