Great story of one 60s youth's angst-ridden life.

Rating: Null/10 (24 September 1998)

I think Anonymous from Maryland needs to have his (her) head checked. He (she) obviously wasn't paying much attention to the film's exposition. Benjamin is a recently graduated college student with no idea where to go with his life. Mrs. Robinson provides a simple distraction that allows him to escape the responsibility of making a decision and taking control (especially with his parents breathing down his neck). Mrs. Robinson does not turn into a loving mother; she simply doesn't want her daughter dating someone who would have an affair with an older, married mother as explained in the motel room scene where Benjamin wants to have a conversation in addition to just having sex with Mrs. Robinson. (It's my opinion, and I could be wrong, but I interpret this scene as an exploration of the hypocrisy of what people do behind closed doors and what they show to the world.) As for Elaine, she's the female version of Benjamin -- confused, unsure of what to do with her life (the war of career, symbolized by her attendance at Berkeley, and love, symbolized by her emotions for Benjamin). Does she become another unhappy housewife like her mother or does she take control and go against the grain (symbolic of the rising women's movement)? If there is any film that serves as a definitive description of the general anxiety felt by America's youth during the 60s, this is it. Give the film another try; you might see it differently.