Powerful movie.

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2005)

I know that Ben is a sap and a stalker. I know that Mrs. Robinson is a cheating alcoholic with the morals of an ally cat. I know that Mr. Robinson is a fool. And I know that Elaine Robinson is a hapless victim and player in a bizarre and twisted story of marital infidelity and social disillusionment and alienation. Nevertheless, I like this movie. Yes, I'll say it again ... I LIKED THIS MOVIE! The question is: Why? None of the characters in the story, with the exception of Elaine, are particular attractive or nice. In fact, they are some of the most reprehensible characters ever portrayed in a movie. I say this sweeping statement because these characters behave in ways that they know are morally wrong, and despite their knowing better, continue to flaunt themselves anyway. They are angry characters, angry at the world, angry at themselves, angry at each other. They are also boldfaced hypocrites, flaunting their middle-class materialistic trappings, like their nice houses and expensive cars, and so smug, like that fool Mr. Robinson and Ben's father whose only concern is that Ben get a good job and keep up appearances, all of which masking a shallowness and depravity that is the central theme of this story, which is why I liked this movie. The movie offers a candid portrayal of people who you'd think are the salt of the earth and the bedrock of society, but in actuality have the strength and consistency of quicksand. This is a serious movie depicting the moral depravity of modern society and the damage such depravity can cause.