Review of The Graduate (1967) by Potarto72 — 21 Dec 2014

The Graduate is a beloved film, but in my opinion, severely under appreciated. People refer to it as a great comedy, but I beg to differ. Why I find the Graduate to be such a perfect film is because of the dramatic element behind it.

The two protagonists, Benjamin and Elaine, spend the entire film slowly building the willpower to rebel against control their control freak parents, and after an exhilarating finale, finally get away, with all responsibility thrown out the window. But it's the film's lingering ending, where the smiles fade, and the music cues up, that set it apart. It isn't just a film about rebellion, it is THE youth movie. It contains all the pain and pleasure of being a teenager, and goes far deeper than the conflict on the surface, providing an intense moral struggle that even the characters are rarely aware of. Everything in this film comes together in just the right way to make the message immaculate, and I think it's the type of film everyone should watch to gain a greater understanding of teenage life, regardless of your age.