A Cultural Milestone

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2009)

After graduating from college, a young man has an affair with an older woman before falling in love with her daughter. This film about alienation and great expectations is a perfect mix of comedy and drama, a cultural milestone. Nichols's direction is so marvelously innovative in terms of camera work and editing that it still feels fresh decades after its release. An integral component of the success of this film is the superb soundtrack by Simon and Garfunkel, full of memorable tunes. Hoffman is excellent in his star-making turn, an impeccable comic performance. In Mrs. Robinson, Bancroft creates a figure who is sexy, vulnerable, and tragic. The seduction scenes are hilarious.