Synonymous with Film School at this point.

Rating: 5/10 (31 January 2018)

The Graduate is a film that I feel like a lot of people, especially people who weren't around for the film's release, would NEVER have thought to watch this on their own. Yes, it is a master class in it's use in photography & cinematography and the abundance of techniques on display makes for a wonderful tool in teaching a variety of concepts to budding filmmakers. Yes, it is thematically sound as well as having a decent plot to make everything understandable while still providing a lot of depth in its storytelling and something that you could pick apart endlessly. It's a standout film of its time, shining a big bright light on the direction that American society as a whole seemed to be headed, successfully being both deconstructive and even predictive of what kinds of conflicts people of the film's generation would undergo. The writing, camerawork, and symbolism is some of the best you'll ever find in a single film.
I just think it has absolutely zero entertainment value.
Direction is where you could start to find the cracks in the wall. While technically sound on every level, The Graduate is slow, plodding, and probably only got a pass at the time of its release due to the subject matter. There's a telephoto shot of Hoffman running towards the chapel that makes him look like he's running in place for about 20 seconds. It's cool from a production and cinematography standpoint, but its 20 whole seconds of "get on with it" that I can't shake while watching it. Awkward party conversations, Hoffman wallowing in self-pity and uncertainty, a slowly decaying love triangle that gets more cynical as it goes along. Great study material and one of the foundations of how I've come to understand films and other media. I just don't think I could ever enjoy watching this film on my own time.