The Graduate is a film that I feel like a lot of people, especially people who weren't around for the film's release, would NEVER have thought to watch this on their own. Yes, it is a master class in it's use in photography & cinematography and the abundance of techniques on display makes for a wonderful tool in teaching a variety of concepts to budding filmmakers. Yes, it is thematically sound as well as having a decent plot to make everything understandable while still providing a lot of depth in its storytelling and something that you could pick apart endlessly. It's a standout film of its time, shining a big bright light on the direction that American society as a whole seemed to be headed, successfully being both deconstructive and even predictive of what kinds of conflicts people of the film's generation would undergo. The writing, camerawork, and symbolism is some of the best you'll ever find in a single film.I just think it has absolutely zero entertainment value.Direction is where you could start to find the cracks in the wall. While technically sound on every level, The Graduate is slow, plodding, and probably only got a pass at the time of its release due to the subject matter. There's a telephoto shot of Hoffman running towards the chapel that makes him look like he's running in place for about 20 seconds. It's cool from a production and cinematography standpoint, but its 20 whole seconds of "get on with it" that I can't shake while watching it. Awkward party conversations, Hoffman wallowing in self-pity and uncertainty, a slowly decaying love triangle that gets more cynical as it goes along. Great study material and one of the foundations of how I've come to understand films and other media. I just don't think I could ever enjoy watching this film on my own time.

A film that is a must for every movie lover, a film that promotes a story in the best romantic comedy style and yet is surprising, with absolute mastery of technique, script and performances, the American director Mike Nichols knew how to conduct his work with almost complete perfection in what it provides to do. Take a look at the story of Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a 21-year-old who gets caught up in a sexual journey with the mother of the girl he loves, the movie script is perfectly told, always exploring all sides of the story, the pains, anxieties and fears of all the characters, and we are glazed and stuck to its narrative, even being a romantic comedy, a genre that massively searches for cliche. Benjamin is a character who is embraced by loneliness, he is completely desperate to quench his emptiness, even though he may not know it, when Ben is invited to participate in a sexual adventure, this temporarily fills his void, but after a while he realizes that it only leaves him empty, and when falling in love with Elaine, he sees a desperate attempt to get rid of this "darkness", Ben is a completely broken character, that even in love, he has no idea what to do, loneliness who pursues Ben is the drama of many, and the way she is explored in the film is spectacular. Not only does the script have its merits, but the direction too, speaking first of the camera angles, aiming always show well in zoom and then rolls a large zoom out, always showing how small the character is in the scenario, in addition to always using outlets and not to abuse in the cuts, even being a 1966 movie, besides, we have great songs on the soundtrack, sometimes it may seem little distoante or repetitive, but the track talks with the drama of Ben, besides, we have a great editing and sound editing, as well as beautiful photography. Dustin Hoffman is a great performer, and he is one of the pillars that makes the script get to explore so many themes without the actor, the movie would perhaps be a dramatic romantic comedy, we also have the magnificent Anne Bancroft. The use of the spectacular song "hello darkness my old friend" in the end contrasts somewhat the idea of ??what the film is going through - unless it is interpreted that the character still feels empty - in the end, it is not a perfect movie, but it accomplishes everything that promises and a little more, a lot more.

The Graduate is THE best comedy of the 1960s, easily making the top 10 all-time list. It's a film that propelled director Mike Nichols and actor Dustin Hoffman to the top of the Hollywood A-List.For baby-boomers, this is an iconic film - a snap-shot of mid 1960s affluent suburban post- college let-down, introspection, angst, and confusion. Baby boomers saw things vastly different than their Greatest Generation parents, and Nichols (along with screen-play writer Buck Henry) "integrated" the generation-gap in a way no film had before.Dustin Hoffman was fortunate to get the lead part as legend has it, and Nichols was fortunate to get him - both took advantage of the opportunity, and we are all fortunate they did so.Perhaps the best soundtrack sync in movie history, Nichols had an epiphany about using the introspective and melancholy music of Simon & Garfunkel in the film, setting what was then a new standard for use of popular music as an integral part of story telling. No film has done this better. Without that music sync, this would have been a fine film, but it would not have reached its legendary film status. Buck Henry's original screen-play delivers some very funny scenes - the hotel scenes running from the approximate 20 to 35 minute marks in the film are hilarious and everyone pulled it off to subtle perfection. Nichols ensured those comic moments were delivered with impeccable timing by utilizing Henry as a Day Player in the role of hotel manager.Anne Bancroft is brilliant (and hot) in what has become an iconic film character. This film achieves much with solid performances by the entire cast. This is Mike Nichols' greatest and most important achievement in film.What else can I add that hasn't already been stated?See it again when the mood strikes. First timers, you are in for a treat.Here's to you Mrs. Robinson! 🍸

Anne Bancroft, the woman with whom many men had sexual fantasies after watching "The Graduate". And her first role was as a star of the kindergarten play as Mama Bear in "The Three Little Bears"... After 50 years, the film is just as fresh and the music of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel is gorgeous. Best role for Dustin Hoffman! The best part in which he is him, he plays himself. Because in "Rain Man" and in "Midnight Cowboy" he had to be someone else, he played handicapped characters(exceptionally) I also liked him very much in "Marathon Man" (where, Laurence Olivier, in the role of Szell is absolutely fantastic...) Katharine Ross was young and beautiful too!