This is really *that* good; but not perfect (and so what)

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2003)

The Graduate is a "must see" film for its fun and inventive cinematography, terrific acting, bold and cynical screenplay by Buck Henry, and certainly, its tour-de-force ending with a wan future upon wan smiles. Other comments I've read complain about Katherine Ross's acting (I disagree), the overuse of Simon and Garfunkel music to move things along (maybe overdone), the unbelivability of the plot (in context, it has consistency), and that some scenes just go on for too long (perhaps, like the underwater diver pool scene). But these are truly minor quibbles among an otherwise splendid quirky view of a spoiled, nihilistic, horny and obsessive rich kid in the California 60s. The director Mike Nichols deserves every accolade -- I'm glad I finally had a chance to see this classic.