Sacrilegious maybe - but i thought it was poor

Rating: 4/10 (23 August 2012)

I've never seen The Graduate until last week. But I knew of it's reputation - a timeless classic. Apparently. I also looked up the rating on IMDb - 8.1 - impressive. So I dived right in there to witness what all the fuss was about.
I'm sorry but I just don't see it? I don't get it at all. Far from being a classic - I think it is a particularly dumb and totally far fetched movie with strange scenes, dialog, situations and a weird ending.
Okay - the premise seems reasonable at first - a newly graduated young man - Ben (Hoffman) - begins an affair with Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Robinson)- a mature friend of the family. But then falls for her daughter instead. Sounds OK - doesn't it? But is it executed well? Not in my opinion.
Firstly - Mrs. Robinson's attitude in seducing Benjamin initially is totally incredible and unbelievable. She is an attractive woman and Ben is young, socially inept around others and not to mention short and geeky looking. Why would she would even bother with him in the first place was my initial thought. But to persevere after being rebuked several times beggars belief. But the affair happens and thru circumstances - Ben is forced to go on a date with Mrs. Robinson's daughter Elaine (Katherine Ross at her most beautiful). Then we are supposed to believe that he falls in love with Elaine at the drop of a hat and wants to marry her? Ridiculous. And she wants to marry him too - after he treated her like dirt initially and then she found out that he slept with her mother? Again ridiculous. And the ending? Don't even get me started on that. I won't spoil it here for everyone - but to say it is laughable is to be generous to it in the extreme.
There are some clever camera tricks all the way through - however the 'snap' editing of Mrs. Robinson's nude scene was NOT one of them - but it isn't enough to save this poor attempt at a story. Simon and Garfunkel's music is okay - and maybe I am been too harsh here as I am not a fan of them either - but again the music can only do so much for a film.
In all - and I assume I am in the minority here - I thought the film was shoddy. 4/10 and 2 of those points are there for Ross' looks alone.