The Graduate, Movie Review Example

The Graduate film has less relevance in the Present Time

Benjamin, the center character in the movie, barely has a planned strategy graduating college. The loss in aesthetic value in the film, over time, has made it less applicable to the current time. However, the comedy and drama that surrounds the film makes it interesting to watch, in case you do not mind the old film setting. The movie came out in the late 1960’s, a period when parents tolerated stodgy middle-class values.

Ben emerges as the most intelligent and sympathetic character in the film. The potential identity crisis he is experiencing is far-fetched from what a typical graduate in the twenty-first century would experience. The fact that Benjamin has several opportunities presented to him but shows limited interest indicates the possibility of an identity crisis. The time ‘The Graduate’ was released, 1967, there was barely any rock music, less political development and young adults seemed to be uninhibited. This is evident when Benjamin gets sexually involved with Mrs. Robinson and her daughter Elaine. Moreover, one can see that the ‘bored’ characters; Mrs. Robinson and Benjamin like to listen to music. Particularly, Chuck Berry or the Beatles, some of the famous music groups at the time.

However, it is not uncommon to find young adults with financially well off parents being reluctant to set career goals. Benjamin’s deviation from the society expectation is what probably propels him to procrastinate constantly and engage in impulsive acts. For instance, Benjamin eloping with Elaine, when they barely understood the nature of their relationship. The generational gap can be used to explain this occurrence, as most young people took fewer calculated risks; dropped out of college, married early, or followed their passion despite prevailing career trends. ‘The Graduate’ film speaks strongly to the generation of its time as opposed to the generation in this century, but it is fun to watch.