Cultural zeitgeist

Rating: 5/10 (13 January 2020)

THE GRADUATE is one of the classic movies of the late '60s, memorable for capturing the cultural zeitgeist of the era while at the same time launching the screen career of the one and only Dustin Hoffman. I found it an oddly unaffecting affair, let down by having a cast of largely unlikeable characters, all of whom seem to be out for themselves. Anne Bancroft gives the best turn as the alcoholic and desperate mother but the script doesn't treat her well, particularly in the latter stages. Mike Nichols' direction is so-so and the diving imagery didn't really work out too well for me. However, the Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack is wonderful and the best thing about this.