The Graduate
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Movie Reviews of The Graduate
Movie Review: Delightful fusion of craft and art
Summary: 5 Stars
Pitch-perfect fusion of dialogue, cinematography, music, acting, editing, direction to produce unforgettable scenes and images.Movie Review: A great classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
You will want to buy this movie once you have see Madea's Family Reunion.Movie Review: The Graduate
Summary: 5 Stars
Arrived quickly and in great conditon. Would use seller again.
Movie Review: However, upon further review...
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an atypical review for me folks. Rather than review this classic film, which most people have already either seen or heard about, I wanted to entice you fans out there to post some commentary on some of the points I have covered below. After all, Amazon does tell us to 'make it fun'!
We all know that this is one of those no-brainer, without-a-doubt comedy classics that is seemingly above reproach (a la "Some Like It Hot", "Annie Hall", "Tootsie", Dr. Strangelove", etc...). However, after viewing this one yet AGAIN the other night (my guess is, I've seen this film over twenty times now), I couldn't help but pose these questions: (spoiler alert)
1) Would the film be as great w/out the music of Simon & Garfunkel? In my opinion, few film soundtracks/scores have had a greater impact than this one (not including musicals of course).
2) What did Mrs. Robinson find so alluring about Benjamin? Why would a woman in her position do something so self-destructive when she didn't even seem like she was all that attracted to Benjamin in the first place? If she was just out for some casual sex w/ a young, pretty boy toy why would she choose to do it w/ one of her best friend's sons?
3) How do you explain the beautiful, intelligent, and wholesome character of Elaine Robinson (Katherine Ross) falling in love w/ the shallow, uncharismatic, aloof Benjamin? They only went on one date and he took her to a strip club for God sakes!!! Then he begins to stalk her! To all you young cats out there, I can tell you that this approach usually will get you thrown into prison and/or getting your butt kicked by the girl's father, brother, or friends.
4) Would any woman, no matter what the circumstances, want to get involved with a guy who just spent the last several months making the beast w/ two backs w/ her mother? Not only is it completely repulsive and vulgar, but how do you ever forget about something like that, let alone forgive it? The thought of it makes my skin crawl.
5) How do you propose to a woman you barely know? How does that woman even remotely take you seriously (we are talking about a beautiful, well-to-do, educated young woman w/ seemingly everything going for her)? And that's not even taking into account Ben's sordid affair w/ mom.
6) Supposedly Benjamin is rebelling against conformity and the conventional, artificial (PLASTICS!) world that his affluent parents and their friends subscribe to. However, he has no problems still living at home, laying on a raft all day in their pool drinking beer and working on his tan. To me, that's not being a rebel, that's being a spoiled, rich kid bum!
7) And last, but certainly not least (for I could go on for days), are there really any endearing characteristics about Benjamin at all? To me, he is a lazy, spoiled, self-absorbed, unambitious, aloof, whiny loner w/ almost zero charisma. The guy doesn't have one friend! For example, at his graduation party there was not one person there his own age. The guy is completely anti-social to everyone he meets.
Yet, despite the contrived love story and illicit romance, this film does work and is quite entertaining, mainly because of the great cinematography, writing, music, directing and acting. In my humble opinion, Bancroft stole the show and I only wish she had more time on screen. And Katherine Ross not only possesses the prettiest brown eyes you'll ever see, but by the end of the film we all can't help but to fall in love w/ her winsome, wholesome ways.
Movie Review: Re-examining "The Graduate"
Summary: 4 Stars
Having seen The Graduate several times and enjoying it thoroughly, I happened to view it again recently.
However, I recognized again a few flaws and some new questions arose. Let's be clear, this film was groundbreaking and has many excellent qualities (including story, directing, creative editing, symbolism, humor, irony, etc.). However, more than
ever a few detractors stood out.
1) Although the first half is a definite tour de force, the
second half is generally lacking and is carried on the fumes
of the reved-up first half. Let's face it, after the humor
and intrigue of Mrs. Robinson's affair, there is a climax
when Elaine finds out (which follows their date sequence, which is neither interesting nor psychologically compelling). After this we enter into the whole Berkeley interlude, which is also rather dull, and the storyline turns soap operaish. Why?
2) Because the love between Ben and Elaine is, let's face it,
contrived. Realize, they only had one date, and now they're
madly in love? Furthermore, how does Elaine blithely dismiss
the affair and the strong psychological implications of that?
And what does this imply about the ending, when they desperately
run off together. Doesn't it seem like a relation more doomed
than with destiny? Also along this line is how Ben tells his parents he will marry Elaine, without consulting with her
or her parents. I suppose this act is part of the underlying counter-culture/generation gap in sensibilities.
However, looking through today's lense, it seems more foolish than rebelish. Which leads too...
3) The movie's lack of timelessness. Reviewing in the new millennium, much of the 60s reality that made this movie more
shocking and revelatory in its time has passed. The editing,
film making, music, and humor that permeate the first half
are still first rate. However, the rebelious impulse upon which the second half rely on and ultimately caps the movie
no longer work. Let's face it, upon second and third screenings
it becomes clear that the second half is sorely lacking in ingenuity and relies strongly on a lot of questionable psychology and dubious motivation.
4) Character development. I'm just throwing this one out there,
because think about it, how well do we really know any of these characters?
All the parents are obvious stereotypes of a certain social class, maybe this can be easily accepted for the
stories' purposes. But even Ben and Elaine, do we understand
much at all about what makes them tick, aside for the amorphous
idea that they somehow want their lives to be different than their parents staid existence.
Isn't there an onus for the story to give us better insight into their psyches? Maybe it is all just a moral tale, and that's the excuse, but one is left
at the end with the sense that it all wasn't quite explained as well as it could be.
Overall, of course, this movie is still a clear classic, because of it's strong message and style at the time,
and the overall strength of the film. However, I question the height of the pedestal it has been placed upon.