The Graduate

Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review! This week, we’re sinking into the beautifully awkward and emotionally layered world of The Graduate (1967), a landmark in American cinema that captured the confusion and alienation of a generation—and still resonates today.

Directed by Mike Nichols and based on Charles Webb’s novel, The Graduate stars a breakout Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate adrift in a sea of expectations, ennui, and passive-aggressive dinner parties. Returning home to California, Ben finds himself stuck in a well-off suburban limbo, unsure of what to do with his future and utterly disconnected from the adults around him.

Enter Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father’s business partner and one of the most iconic seductresses in film history. Their affair is sultry, weirdly funny, and shot through with a tragic edge that gives the film its unique tone—equal parts satire, drama, and coming-of-age fable. Complications multiply when Ben falls for Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross), throwing everyone’s lives into romantic chaos and sparking a messy, impulsive pursuit that culminates in one of the most famous closing shots in cinema history.

Visually, The Graduate is striking—Nichols’ inventive use of framing, reflections, and slow dissolves elevates the emotional subtext, and Simon & Garfunkel’s folk-heavy soundtrack ("The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson") lingers in your head long after the credits roll. The music doesn’t just underscore the scenes—it becomes a character in itself, echoing Benjamin’s alienation and longing.

But what really makes The Graduate endure is its tonal complexity. It's satirical, yes, but also melancholic. Benjamin isn’t a traditional hero; he's self-absorbed, indecisive, and often unlikeable. Yet in that uncertainty lies the film’s power—it taps into that restless moment between adolescence and adulthood where everything feels hollow, and rebellion can look like love, lust, or simply running away.

Is the ending romantic or despairing? Is Benjamin a rebel or just another aimless rich kid? The Graduate leaves space for interpretation, and that ambiguity is what keeps it feeling alive, even decades later.

So whether you’re watching for the sharp dialogue, the iconic performances, or just to see Dustin Hoffman awkwardly floating in a pool of existential dread—this one’s a classic for a reason. 🎓🍸💔🎬

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