The Graduate is a comedy-drama directed by Mike Nichols in 1967. It stars a young Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate who moves back in with his parents after graduation. His parents throw him a graduation party where their friends all ask Benjamin about his plans for the future. The wife of his father’s business partner, Mrs. Robinson (played by Anne Bancroft), asks Ben if he can give her a ride home. While at their house Mrs. Robinson tries to seduce Benjamin. This begins a love affair between the two that spawns throughout the rest of the movie.
This films more of a comedy-drama than a romance seeing how the love scenes are played mostly for laughs. There’s no romance between the two characters since Mrs. Robinson’s lust for Benjamin is her desperation. We learn she never got to complete college since she became pregnant with her daughter and was forced to marry and become a housewife. With that information we see how it’s more realistic and believable for her character to be so driven to use a 21 year old for her own problems.
I have seen this movie before the class and really enjoyed it. I found it very funny and well written. The characters are given the depth that makes us understand their actions. Most films work well when they’re written with great character depth because we get caught up with the characters’ lives while watching. Which I think is one of the most important things about film making.
