The Graduate

I watch the following movies at least once a year. Unlike other movies I can watch these over and over again without growing tired of them. We all have these movies and these are the ones I consider to be my favourite movies.

Sing Street

Sing Street is a coming of age story set in 80s Dublin. I watched this one at least five times last year. Also, the ending to this movie is perfect.

La La Land

La La Land is all about chasing your dreams. Not only is it my favourite musical, but it’s also a throwback musical that reinvents the modern musical.

Risky Business

Risky Business is an 80’s teen film about capitalism and taking chances. Tangerine Dream gives us one the best movie soundtracks to boot.

Say Anything

Lloyd Dobler explaining what he wants to do with his life is probably all I need to cement this film is one I watch yearly. His optimism is infectious and his absolute love for Diane is why we all remember him standing outside her window with the boombox held high above his head.

The Graduate

Benjamin Braddock is the image of a man out of college with anything he wants ahead of him, yet he suffers from existential angst. This angst leads him to his affair with Mrs. Robinson with another exceptional soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel.

The Boat that Rocked

This film is incredibly fun with a 60’s soundtrack to boot. The casting is perfect, and you will find yourself enjoying every character. By Richard Curtis, who directed Love Actually, and more recently About Time, so you are in good hands here.

Shaun of the Dead

Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost… you can’t go wrong! This is hands down the best zombie movie you will ever see.. it is a comedy, but so what? It’s brilliant!

Pan’s Labyrinth

In my opinion it is the best fairy tale ever made for the screen. Yes, it is in Spanish, but you won’t notice when you are all caught up in all the magic that Guillermo del Toro brings to the screen.

Rent

Rent is a celebration of life, of hope, and death. Easily one of my favourite musicals. While it can be happy and upbeat, it also becomes very depressing.

Lost in Translation

People either love this film or hate it. It is one of the best films I’ve ever seen and my favourite relationship between two characters that I’ve seen on film by Bill Murray, and Scarlett Johansson. This is not your typical Hollywood flare, but a slow paced journey of two souls.

Let me know what movies you watch over and over for whatever reason.

Robert Ring

Where do you start when talking about, The Graduate?

Well—the movie is known most of all for the quote, “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me,” but this movie is so much more than the seduction of Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). First off, Benjamin has just completed his college education and now he is filled with the pressure of achieving great things. He appears to have been a straight ace student in college, so there was a lot he sacrificed in achieving that. Now that Benjamin finally had finished college he saw the world with an existential eye and wondered about his place in it. This leads Benjamin to be seduced by Mrs. Robinson as a way of finding himself, by the prospect of not having to please anyone other than himself. The secret and adulterous relationship he has with Mrs. Robinson matures him into an individual who can think and do what he likes. Everything becomes unsettled when he is forced to go on a date with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine, which he plans to sabotage until he falls for her. Mrs. Robinson tells Elaine that Benjamin raped her and is sent away to college. Benjamin from here on is determined to get Elaine back and tries to right his wrongs.

Each character in the graduate is not given much of a backstory to go on, but we get a good idea of them from the pacing and the framing within the movie. I think The Graduate is a lot like an independent film because of this and there were so many scenes that felt experimental, yet worked, to perfectly weave the narrative. The soundtrack for The Graduate, by Simon and Garfunkel may in fact be one of the most perfect soundtracks ever made. Dustin Hoffman shines in this role and the on screen back and forth with Anne Bancroft is perfect.

I think the themes within The Graduate have more meaning in todays society than they did at the time of its release, and because of this I don’t think the movie is dated. You should check out The Graduate if you’ve never seen it. I love this movie and I watch it yearly.

The Graduate is a classic not to be missed.

4.5/5 – Stars for The Graduate

Robert Ring

Tag: The Graduate

Most Watched Films

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: