Doesn't Age Well

Rating: 2/10 (14 November 2003)

The Graduate is one of those timely movies that doesn't age well.

At the time, it probably did a decent job of reflecting the angst and worry of the young upper middle class. Now, however, it seems very dated. Its sense of alienation is pretty quaint compared to the problems young people have to go through today. The scenes where Benjamin tries to win Elaine's heart are outright freaky now that people have a better grip on what stalking is all about.
Dustin Hoffman has a lot of screen presence, which keeps the movie from being a total turnoff. But the character of Benjamin is ultimately an empty one, and you strangely find yourself disliking his parents not because they're too rigid and old school, but because they're too pampering and soft. Mrs. Robinson's explosive anger toward the end is the only emotion in the entire movie which feels genuine, and despite its best efforts, the film can't quite manage to squelch the fresh air that her rage brings to the stuffy set piece of The Graduate.