American Graffiti (1973)

★★★★1/2

Set in 1962, this coming-of-age film centers on a couple of high school graduates who spend their last night cruising around in their cars, drinking and drag racing. One teenage couple tries to patch things up before they part ways, a young man searches the entire town for a mysterious fem fatale, another young man tries desperately to impress his female passenger and another tries to have fun while babysitting a high school freshman. The music, the clothing, the lingo, the cars and the amazing performance by one hell of a cast highlight this period piece and it’s a must for any film fan. It’s surprisingly very engaging and funny for one of the first ‘coming of age movies,’ and even still… it’s a rather sad and reminiscent tale.