the graduate

Rating: 8/10 (16 December 2011)

What made this movie hilarious to me, (and probably most everyone that made it through the movie) was exactly what should have made this movie absolutely horrible to watch. Dustin Hoffman suits this role pretty well, being a very young, naive, and awkward college graduate. It's no surprise when his neighbor's mom, whom he has known for years comes onto him, he has no idea how to react. That is what i liked best about the film, was the cleverly written dialogue, and charismatic demeanor of young Ben. I also enjoy the negative take on suburban life this movie seems to have. There are also some beautiful camera work, such as the scene when he is underwater in the suit, or when he leaps onto his pool raft, cutting to him jumping into bed with the devious Ms. Robinson. What I didn't like however, was the gaps in plot line, and how this ridiculous situation just suddenly turned out alright and worked out for the better. There is no way Ben would ever be able to make sleeping with Elaine's mom, bringing her to a strip club, and onto of that stalking her all the way out to Boston, to ask for her hand marriage. And then he takes her away right at the fateful moment of her hand being put in marriage with some other guy?! The first half of the film has a lot of enjoyable moments, but I really can't make heads or tails of the second half.