Review of Getting Straight (1970) by Eric B — 04 Dec 2010

An interesting period piece that could have been called 'The Graduate (Student)' about a Vietnam War vet and former radical returning to school to get his teaching certificate and Masters in English literature. As campus protests heat up, he keeps getting distracted by the demands of his former radical friends, the mixed signals of his girlfriend, and his own complicated feelings about dropping out of the revolution. One of those movies that you have to be interested in the time period (and possess particularly liberal politics) to accept. Which I do. So I loved it.

Gould gives an alternately subdued, complex and finally batshit insane performance; Bergen is completely convincing as the female equivalent, half in love with the revolution, and half desirous of escaping and moving to the suburbs. The final explosion at Gould's Masters oral exam is absolutely perfect and captures the feelings of anyone who has spent enough time in academe to realize how soul-sucking it can be.

Also watch for a young Harrison Ford in a small part.