The Graduate (1967)

Why so much hype?

That was an excellent one.

Fantastic!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Young Benjamin Braddock (Dusting Hoffman) has just graduated from college, but now he doesn't seem to know what to do with his life. His parents are not of much help, being more interested in climbing the social ladder and having him help them along as the perfect, dutiful son.Enter Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), an old family friend, with whom Ben begins an affair to relieve some of his inner anxiety. Later on he also meets Mrs. Robinson's daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross).The Graduate could be seen as a romantic comedy. The plot itself, if a bit heavy, especially for its time, is lighthearted enough and the character archetypes on display are such that the jokes practically write themselves. Yet a dark undercurrent floats just beneath the surface, transforming the whole thing into a scathing satire. The song The Sound of Silence, by Simon & Garfunkel, is often played over central scenes, almost functioning as the theme for the whole film. And anyone who has ever heard the song knows that it's rather dark in its message, despite the light melody. "Hello darkness, my old friend" indeed.What this film is trying to talk about is being trapped in a circle from which you cannot escape. Ben's character gets progressively worse as the movie goes on, but you cannot really blame him, not entirely. You can see from his parents and from Mrs. Robinson and her husband that he's merely imitating the sins of the last generation. It's easy to see that he and Elaine could very easily end up just as shallow and empty as their parents. It wouldn't take much. And that's the horror behind the usual rom-com antics.A peculiar film. It requires you to look underneath the surface, to question the events that are taking place. And for that it needs to be praised.

If we look closely every major character has a story of stupid decisions and despair all the while having no idea of what's happening in their life. There is actually not even a single character in here that does anything sensible in here, yet they are completely believable since these are the kind of people you actually see around you in the world although not used as archetypes in films. With all of its amazing cinematography, match cuts and the use of some incredible songs the storytelling itself proceeds fabulously.

The Graduate is a 1967 film starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. The story follows Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate, who is not quite sure what he wants to do with his life. Faced with family and neighbors with high expectations, Benjamin finds himself apathetic and depressed. When Mrs. Robinson, an older woman and friend of the family, approaches Benjamin with a proposition, the young man finds temporary solace in her arms.The Graduate is a fantastic movie with interesting characters and great cinematography. Hilarious and emotionally stirring, the film carries you along with a terrific soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel. Dustin Hoffman plays his role wonderfully and the casting for the characters is perfect.Although The Graduate is a superb film, the third act falls short. This movie and many of it's kind make you wonder where the line is between hopelessly romantic and criminally inappropriate. While the ending is thoughtful, the climax is stale and generic.Overall, The Graduate is an absolute must-watch. With elements of comedy, romance, drama, and characters with quite a bit of depth, nearly any audience can enjoy this film.

A movie about the coming of age, and a disenchanted college graduate wondering about his future and trying to escape the predestined path his parents want him to follow. The movie shows his idle life through in his eyes lost in his thoughts, in the cross fading, the close-up shots, and Simon and Garfunkel songs. The hesitating young man becomes a self-confident man after having an affair with a mature woman. When he falls in love with her daughter, the life he seeks eventually becomes obvious to him.