i can not recall the first time i saw this movie . it be still one of my dad favorite movie and he always have a copy ( be it on vhs or on laser disc and yeah he have it that long ) . i guess you might say that i grow up with this movie . i rent it recently and mainly because of the nostalgic value it have for me and but remember why i enjoy it so much . this film be pure americana and represent an era of american innocence . george lucas really take some risk on this one . he make a film about cruise in the early 70 ( an era that be mark by down beat film ) . i have to say that when lucas be young and he have ball . the plot be extremely simple ( but i still hope that i can do it justice ) . curt ( richard dreyfus ) and steve ( ron howard ) have graduate from high school in southern california and be head out east to go to college ( the whole film take place on the last night that theyre in town ) . their friend be terry the toad and the geek ( charles martin smith ) and and john milner ( the best driver in the valley and play by paul le mat ) . the story follow the four a they cruise around town . curt be worry about leave town and decide he may not want to leave . curt start cruise with steve and laurie ( curt sister and steve girlfriend ) he see a blonde in a white t bird and who become his obsession for the night after she mouth i love you to him . curt go from be with steve and laurie to cruise with his ex girlfriend and to be abduct by a car gang and to finally find disc jockey wolfman jack to play a song for the blonde in a white t bird . steve decides to break up with laurie because he go off to college . laurie take it very badly ( of course ) and the two go through the ups and down about their relationship through the night . steve lent terry the toad his car for safe keep while he out of town . toad cruise around and eventually pick up debbie ( candy clark ) who normally would be way out of his league . the two get into several bizarre situation ( include a liquor store hold up and have steve car steal ) . john end up have to drive around with carol ( who be probably about 13 ) after some girl who be cruise play a trick on him . john and carol definitely have a love or hate relationship and but john try to look out for carol . john be be chase by bob falfa ( harrison ford ) who want to beat him in a drag race . the separate story all tie in due to the friendship share between the four . ultimately and the story be about go away and remember the good time that everyone have when theyre young . the epilogue really put this theme in perspective . the film really could have be make about any period and but the fact that it be make about the last great period of american innocence really drive the point home that it be a film about grow up and change . grant and lucas grow up during this period and be into cruising and but the setting be still essential to the theme of the movie . this period be come to a close and for the character because theyre move on and because of the event that would happen in the 60 . the setting be 1962. however and a i have previously state and the film be not merely a period piece because the theme involve be timeless . i recommend for anyone .