Two longhairs in an overhauled '55 Chevy, one a driver and the other an ace mechanic, make their living cruising through small towns and talking other car-aficionados into drag races with booty attached; an older man in a custom G.T.O., lonely and full of false bravado, prods the kids into a race, which they determine will cross several states for ownership papers. Highly unusual hidden gem from 1971, with a visual palette playing out like a scrapbook of the early-'70s (with its roadside Holiday Inn signs, STP stickers, cassette-decks, and widely disparate hitchhikers). The moody tone is complimented by the minimalist screenplay--yet, when the characters do speak, the dialogue is often direct and pungent. James Taylor and Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson are well-cast in the leads, though Warren Oates delivers the film's true performance as the complicated driver who can't settle on a past history (it changes with whomever in his company). Monte Hellman directs with unassuming vigor, shaping the scenes with his curious timing and editing, while Jack Deerson's cinematography is simply amazing (probably more so today than in its time, as the nostalgic pull of the surroundings is like a time-capsule to the past). A mid-movie stop at a gasoline station in the rain is really the only time when I questioned the screenwriters' agenda (a patrol car follows close behind Taylor's Chevy but disappears, while Oates passes out and is helped back into his car); however, in a contemplative (or is that lackadaisical?) picture like this, one is encouraged to go with the flow and not expect explanations at every turn. It's a character study which intrinsically understands the relationship between a young man and his hot rod (which can be a more powerful pull than a guy with his girl). The youthful female who joins the guys (getting into the backseat without being invited) understands this dynamic, and they understand her need not to grow roots. It's all very quiet (except for the revving engines) and understated, and director Hellman pulls it off with surprising elegance. *** from ****