The Graduate
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Movie Reviews of The Graduate
Movie Review: "Hello 4 Stars
This classic film from director Mike Nichols, his second movie after the great 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf', may have lost its strength in some scenes but other great moments make up for that. The first time we meet Ben, just graduated on a party, every single one wants to speak to him and he is getting really tired of them all. He tries to lose them all and that ends up with having the first encounter with Mrs. Robinson. This leads up to the best known scene with the most memorable line from this film.The second party is on Ben's birthday. His must show his present which gives us a hilarious scene. Considering the first party he finds his peace at last, although probably not the way he wanted it.
Little things like this make this movie entertaining. The strong acting from both Hoffman and Bancroft also help. Especially the early scenes from Bancroft are terrific. They make us understand why Ben just has to do what he does, also telling us that Ben is not the strongest person in the world. Ross is quite nice too, although her character is pretty forgettable. If Ben would have chosen for Mrs. Robinson instead of the daughter it would probably have been more believable.
The music from Simon & Garfunkel is good, although it does not add something to the film really. Because three well known songs ('Mrs. Robinson', 'The Sound of Silence' and 'Scarborough Fair') play over and over again some people will get tired of it after a while. I liked the songs enough to not have that problem.
Overall I think this is a great film, with only the ending as really implausible, although I must admit I liked it this way. Even if it has flaws, even if it is a little dated at times, it feels fresh and is more entertaining than most films today.
Movie Review: "No, It's Completely Baked" ~ Sixties Angst And Rebellion
Summary: 4 Stars
I can remember sitting through back to back showings of `The Graduate' in a now defunct Whittier theater when it was originally released in '67. I was a sophomore in high school at the time and as I remember there were several reasons why I put in the extra time to sit through a second viewing. One reason was to see that incredibly sexy night club stripper (Lainie Miller) perform again. Hey, I was sixteen, raging hormones, you know the story. Anyway that was one reason. The other was because it was hilarious and there was so much laughing going on in the audience that I missed a lot of what was being said the first time. I had to see it again just to catch all the subtle jokes and comic nuances.
Of course that was '67, how does `The Graduate' fair some 39 years later? Dustin Hoffman is still delightful as the naïve and somewhat awkward Benjamin Braddock, while Katherine Ross remains as lovely as ever. However with that said, I must also admit that the film appears to have lost some of the comedic charm and emotional pathos it once possessed. Maybe it's not the film, maybe with the passing of years I've simply lost my connection with that sixties angst this movie so perfectly reflects. Sadly, even the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack that so enthralled me when I was a teenager now seems somewhat out of place and dated.
I quess what I'm trying to convey is 'The Graduate' may not be quite the classic I once thought it was, but it doesn't miss by much. I would still consider it to be one of the most memorable films of the sixties.
Movie Review: The Graduate
Summary: 4 Stars
Would you believe I never watched it before this week? I've missed a lot of classics which I should have seen. So how did this one age? Quite nicely. Fine writing, laugh out loud funny situational comedy, many supporting actors and actresses who I recognized from elsewhere, funny hair, clever satire, solid content, garishly colorful clothes you have to love laughing at. At last I understand why Simon and Garfunkel, who I like, are so overrated. Anne Bancroft immediately became every schoolboy's fantasy, and Dustin Hoffman was brilliant in the starring role. I chose not to have sex as a teenager or a pre-teenager. But seeing Hoffman as a recent university graduate, all I could think was, "Damn, that kid needs to get laid." Even after he got laid. Great movie.Movie Review: The Graduate
Summary: 4 Stars
Good movie, Although What would you do if it happen to you? I am not Mr. Goodie two shoes, But I think I wouldn't give into the temptation,so it's messed up what he did. I mean ,darn right cold. So there is No Morals Or "Morale" to this story. I don't think he should be forgiven.Movie Review: Face It-Ben Is Nothing More Than A Spoiled Egotist
Summary: 3 Stars
Yes, the film is a "classic". That doesn't mean that it is perfect. Far from it. The "classic" aspects of it are (1) Simon and Garfunkle (I found out that "Sounds of Silence was NOT written specially for the movie, but pre-dates it to 1966), (2) "Ben - I have just one word for you - PLASTICS" , (3) Buck Henry saying "Sir, are you here for an affair?" (4) "That sounds a little half-baked"---"No it is fully baked" (5) and other quotes that I can't recall at the moment.
Having said that, as a "social commentary" which the film claims to be, it is a flop. It was claimed that this was the first film to really deal with the "generation gap", and it is true that there is a totally breakdown in communication between Ben and his parents, but we must ask, whose fault is this? We must remember that Ben's parents were of the generation that grew up during the Great Depression and World War II.
That meant they had to do without a lot of material comforts that the 1960's generation took for granted. Ben's father would have served in the military in WWII, and possibly put his life on the line in addition to living a highly regimented life for several years.
In addition, even though it is not stated explicitly, they are Jews, meaning that they most likely had to encounter anti-Semitism that only became "politically incorrect" when they became adults, possibly depriving them of the chance to attend the university of their choice or obtaining the most desirable job.
It was very difficult for this generation to talk about the difficulties they encountered and they most definitely wanted to shield their children from these difficulties. It also fixated a lot of them on "material success" at the expense of what earlier generations considered "character development", "morality" or "spirituality".
Thus, Ben comes home from University with the feeling that he is of value only if he "performs" or "achieves" to the level that his parents expect of him. This is why his father makes the point of saying how much he paid for the scuba-diving equipment in front of his friends ("see-look how much I am willing to spend on him!"). This shows that he does have grounds for being unhappy with his relationship with them. In fact, in general his parents and friends (except for the Robinsons) seem to be pleasant people who genuinely like Ben. Yet, all he wants to do is run away from them, and instead he is strangely attracted Mrs Robinson who treats him in a stand-offish and exploitative manner. Even Mr Robinson goes out his way to be nice to him at first, before the truth comes out.
So the film goes on and instead of trying to reach out and communicate with his parents, who have given him much, he turns his back on them and basically breaks off all contact.
Since the message of the film seems to be that Ben is "right" in rejecting everyone and everything and he apparently finds "true happiness" in running off with Elaine, I can only conclude that the film's
creators are giving a basically nihilistic message (in any event, why should he hit it off with Elaine whom we really don't learn much about better than with anyone else?,- she is a product of the same "superficial, materialist" society as everyone else he seems to have so much contempt for). Whereas, at least the film, at the beginning gives its message with some subtlety, the ending is a real incoherent mess with the way-over-the-top scenes with him fighting off everyone with a crucifix (how heavy-handed can one get with the symbolism?) and the faces of the people at the wedding contorted with hate and anger all yelling silently at him.
All in all, the film will be remembered for the "classic" elements I mentioned above, but its message is eminently forgettable.