Review of The Graduate (1967) by Stuart M — 09 Aug 2015

I suspect this film was more relevant at the time than it is now. While I could still appreciate much of the plot the post-graduation malaise has been done on film so many times now as to be a positive cliche.

In addition the cultural quirks of the '60s seem a lot less innocent than they did then. Mrs. Robinson's unhappy marriage earns her no pathos and she quickly becomes a complete monster to a discomfortingly unnuanced degree.

And Dustin Hoffman's stalking of the young Ms. Robinson seems less sweet and more the act of a deranged maniac. Nonetheless, the cinematography is good, with the famous under the knee shot a standout along with the opening credits played over a moving walkway and the underwater scenes.

The music's great too. And you can see why Hoffman was so acclaimed for this role since it really is a good performance. Just make sure you go in with your cultural preconceptions set to off.