Quick Overall Summary

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2012)

I quite enjoyed this movie. I think a lot of young adults and teenagers can relate to the main character and lot of the themes employed by in movie. I would overall rate it a 7 out of 10. It is definitely worth making some time to watch. It is still applicable to a lot of viewers even in this generation.
Positives : The movie's main theme focuses a lot on uncertainty and worry about one's future. This is problem that every person has gone through, especially high school and college aged young adults. Not knowing what to do with your life and not being motivated are huge problems for people, especially those is the previously mentioned age bracket. The movie is fairly tame when it comes to sex, violence, and profanity, and yet it still is very relate-able to even modern young adults and teenagers because of this central theme. I also think it was very comical movie. Ben, played by Dustin Hoffman, was unbearably awkward and embarrassed. It's very funny watching him deal with all the situations he is put in. Another thing I like about the movie is the ending. I enjoy how vague it was. You don't know how the couple will end up. It could be a happy ending because they finally get together, or it could be a completely different type of ending, with the characters throwing their lives away for a quick feeling they had.
Negative : Falling in love after one date with Elaine, and then stalking her was very creepy and unbelievable. I don't think anyone could really empathize with that situation. That part was very difficult to look past and accept. Another problem was (while I love Simon & Garfunkel) I think they overused a lot of the songs in the movie. At first, I thought "The Sound Of Silence" was utilized very well to compliment the scene in the movie. Towards the end of the movie that song, and a lot of other Simon & Garfunkel songs, had gotten to just be repetitive and not really adding anything to the movie.
This all just my opinion. Let me know if you agree or disagree. I am currently in a film studies course at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.
JMK