Watch More American Graffiti

More American Graffiti is a 1979 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Bill L. Norton and produced by George Lucas. It is the sequel to the hit 1973 film American Graffiti and takes place several years after the first film. The movie follows four friends who are now in their early 20s and trying to navigate life in the early 1960s. As the title suggests, the film takes place during a time of great social change in America, particularly in terms of the counterculture movement and the Vietnam War.

The four friends - John Milner (Paul Le Mat), Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss), Terry Fields (Charles Martin Smith), and Steve Bolander (Ron Howard) - are all back, with the exception of Laurie (Cindy Williams), who has left Curt behind to pursue her own interests.

John is now a successful drag racer who is trying to decide whether to retire or keep racing. Curt is now a writer in Canada who has come back to the United States for a visit. Terry is stationed in Vietnam and is dealing with the horrors of war. Steve is now in college and is torn between his responsibilities and his desire to live a carefree life.

The movie is divided into four different parts, each following one of the four friends over a single day. John's story takes place on the day of the Santa Rosa Street Rod Nationals, where he is competing in his last race. Curt's story takes place on the night of New Year's Eve, where he is trying to reconnect with his old flame, the mysterious blonde in the T-Bird. Terry's story takes place on the day of his last mission in Vietnam, where he must confront the reality of war. Steve's story takes place on the night of his college graduation, where he must decide what he wants to do with his life.

One of the strengths of More American Graffiti is its focus on the different paths that the four friends have taken since the first film. John is the only one who seems to have found real success, while Curt is struggling to find his place in the world. Terry is dealing with the trauma of war, and Steve is struggling to figure out what he wants to do with his life.

The film is also notable for its use of split-screen technology, which was a new technique at the time. This allows multiple storylines to be shown on the screen at once, adding to the film's overall sense of chaos and realism.

Another highlight of More American Graffiti is its excellent soundtrack, which includes classic songs from the early 1960s like "Runaway" by Del Shannon and "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson. The music plays a key role in the movie, helping to capture the spirit of the era and heighten the emotional impact of certain scenes.

In terms of performances, the cast is uniformly excellent. Candy Clark and Bo Hopkins, who played Debbie and Joe in the first film, return in supporting roles and give memorable performances. Ron Howard is particularly good as Steve, showing a range of emotions as he grapples with his uncertain future.

Overall, More American Graffiti is a worthy sequel to one of the most beloved films of the 1970s. It may not have the same impact as the original, but it stands on its own as a poignant and entertaining look at the lives of four friends during a time of great change.

More American Graffiti is a 1979 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 50 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4 and a MetaScore of 44.