This movie was an innovator in so many ways. Essentially following a group of teens around during one night in 1962, American Graffiti essentially paved the way for a lot of things. First of all, it was one of the first movies that had multiple character studies happening, inter cutting from one to the next, was the movie that got Lucas noticed, and most of all, seemed to star every young actor that later went on big, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Wolfman Jack, Richard Dreyfus, Susanne Somers, Wolfman Jack, Susanne Somers, and Paul LeMat . The best performances here come from Dreyfus of course, who was just amazing in his early roles, because he was just cackling with energy (see Duddy Kravitz as well as a great example) and Paul LeMat who hasn't had quite the career as everyone else in the cast, but still shined in amazing roles (Melvin and Howard being an excellent example).
Review of American Graffiti
