Post Grad (2009)

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Blistering performances.

The movie has a good message about family and friendship. Also it gives hope to guys in the friend zone.

You want to see a film about a woman who graduates from college, immediately has her hopes absolutely ridiculously high up, thinking that she will be employed at her dream job right away and gets to move into an extremely fancy apartment? Who then, shockingly, has to face the cold hard facts of life, not getting a job even after many, many interviews, and is forced to move back to live with her parents? Who has a male friend that has always been there for her and that happens to also have been in love with her for a while now and has made that very clear, being a little bitter that she never loved him back? Who then meets a hot guy living next door, hooks up with him, and gets so caught up in him that she forgets a meeting with the boy who loves her, which makes the boy angry and blame her for not falling in love with him even though he has been waiting and waiting? Who then feels all guilty about it and has to watch the angry boy move away to New York, while she herself ends up getting her dream job after all and having everything getting sorted out in her life, but still feeling that something's wrong? Who then quits her dream job and moves to New York because, apparently, she IS in love with the angry boy after all? Who arrives at the angry boy's dorm, reporting all her deepest feelings to him in the doorway, and finally notices that there is another woman in the room, which, obviously, makes her turn away and run outside, bemused? Who then is stopped by the angry boy, who explains that the woman was his resident adviser? Who then kisses the angry boy and tells him that she loves him, and lives with him happily ever after?In case this is precisely what you're looking for, by all means - watch this film. Should be perfectly suitable for your needs.

Curvy and pretty Ryden Malby (Alexis Bledel), who comes from a decent family, has planned for her future since she was a young girl. Having worked hard in college for good grades, she is very confident that she will latch onto her dream job at the Happerman and Browning publishing house. But it is a bad omen when, on the day of her interview, her car is sideswiped by a hit-and-run stake body truck driver in downtown Los Angeles. And with no witness in such a busy area! Anyway, disheveled but not shattered Ryden somehow arrives to the interview on time, only to find almost a dozen applicants also applying for the same position. Worse for Ryden, her rival Jessica Bard (Catherine Reitman), the class valedictorian, is also there. Jessica walks away with the job as Ryden's world comes crashing down around her. Over the course of the next few weeks, reality becomes difficult as our heroine Ryden is unable to secure meaningful employment. Lacking funds, she is forced to vacate her new apartment to return home with her family. So, for most of the movie, the plot is centered on Ryden's frustration. Meanwhile Ryden has a boyfriend Adam Davies (Zach Gilford), a likable enough fellow, who loves to sing and play the guitar (not too well, though). Adam has applied to law school at Columbia University. in NY. Now the Ryden-Zach romance is the movie subplot to Ryden's job dilemma. But the denouement changes the movie direction and the ending is simply not inspiring. Along the way there are complications, like the potential romance with next door neighbor and cat-owner David (Rodrigo Santoro), to whom Ryden is obviously attracted. Taking away from the main plot, the screenplay relapses into such fluky comedy scenes like Grandma Maureen (Carol Burnett) shopping for her own coffin. Then there is daffy dad Walter (Michael Keaton) who decides to make a living selling belt buckles that he does not realize are stolen. It is almost as bad as the happenings at his shopping mall luggage concession where he forces a ludicrous bellhop costume upon poor Ryden. Another odd set is the son's unrelated soapbox car race; there is no purpose or amusement in showing the boy (Bobby Coleman) crashing into the pond. On a more positive note, the Malby family is certainly likable. In addition, the movie fortunately is without excessive swearing and gross- out scenes that seem to predominate nowadays. And Ryden Malby as the lead is not without talent although her script does her little justice. Michael Keaton as Walter Malby is fine as Ryden's unconventional father. He acts like those well-meaning but madcap dads of 1950s American television. Jane Lynch as Walter's wife Carmella has little to do. Carol Burnett, one of America's all-time greatest comediennes, plays wacky Grandma Maureen, who always has her oxygen tank in tow. She's OK, but is nothing like the old Carol Burnett. Overall the film is not among the worst of its kind and is bearable.

It's entertaining at first to watch what life is like after school. Just because you graduate from college doesn't mean you'll land a dream job, or any job at that, right away. So the main character finds the difficulties in life after college, OK I buy that. At the end she loses her boyfriend, but gets her dream job. That could happen I guess. After it's all said and done she quits her job to follow her boyfriend. At the age of 22, to throw your career/job away for a relationship is a horrible idea. If you're not happy by yourself what makes you think you'll end up being happy with someone else. Especially when you were together you weren't happy to begin with. For all the young seeking professionals out there, establish your life first! So she ran to New York to be with her boyfriend and quit her job. Doesn't she remember how hard it was to get the job in the first place?