‎The Graduate (1967) directed by Mike Nichols • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

The Graduate

1967 Directed by Mike Nichols

This is Benjamin. He's a little worried about his future.

Benjamin, a recent college graduate is very worried about his future, he then finds himself in a love triangle with an older woman and her daughter.

Dustin Hoffman Anne Bancroft Katharine Ross Murray Hamilton Buck Henry Brian Avery Walter Brooke William Daniels Elizabeth Wilson Norman Fell Alice Ghostley Marion Lorne Eddra Gale Richard Dreyfuss Arthur Tovey William H. O'Brien Frank Baker

106 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Jonathan White ★★★★★ 29

Mike Nichols, the multi-disciplined artist, passed away yesterday. When I read the news, I was amazed at how accomplished he was. Not only film, but stage and performance as well. He was one of the few who achieved the EGOT. Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. In fact, he had more Tony’s than any other stage director. Although he helmed many memorable films, there was none more memorable for me than The Graduate.

I don’t know when I first saw The Graduate, but I know I had seen it quite a few times before I was 16, as that was the age when I met my first love, Cheryl. Our first kiss, the first time we met, was magic. Soon we…
Review by Mary Conti ★★★★★ 8

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

**Part of the Best Picture Project**

1967 Special introduction of: Extreme sexuality, the new generation, and Mrs. Robinson's Robinsons.

So instead of boring you folks (and myself) with the regular ol' "Such a classic!" kind of review where I talk about the film's great sense of screenplay structure, Nichol's approach (which rightfully won him Best Director) that allows him to manipulate us visually while letting content decide for us, and how Dustin Hoffman is clearly the best actor of his generation (because he is), I want to approach this film from a different angle.

Has anyone considered that Benjamin is the villain of the film?

And no, I don't mean in recognizing at the famous final scene that the two…
Review by Katie ★★★★★ 5

I can't believe I got to see this on the big screen. I can't believe it. I'm still crying. Holy fucking shit.
Review by ScreeningNotes ★★★★★ 9

Decades Project: 1/6 of the 60's

"It's like I was playing some kind of game, but the rules don't make any sense to me. They're being made up by all the wrong people. I mean no one makes them up. They seem to make themselves up."

The Graduate was so much weirder than I expected, and I don't mean because of all the sex stuff. It was weird in the best way possible. I (wrongly) assumed it would be a fairly traditional coming-of-age comedy. This is not the case at all—and not merely because it's exceptionally well built. The weirdest thing about The Graduate is the way it smuggles in satirical social commentary where you least expect it.

Straight from…
Review by Jaime Rebanal ★★★★★ 12

I'm probably going to get into my more self-indulgent mode when I'm talking about something like this but it's necessary when I want to talk about a film like The Graduate. I once wrote in a personal diary entry that at certain points of my life where I just have absolutely nothing, I'm simply Benjamin Braddock. It feels especially reasonable as I feel I'm only living in a world where all I see are nothing but different age groups failing to understand what it is defining what satisfies another. This is a film that understands the loneliness in one's life and how the outside world just comes in and interferes.

From the opening alone, we get an idea of how…
Review by Katie ★★★★★ 2

The Saduate (1967) dir. Mike Nichols

Recent reviews

Review by Nicholas Daniel ★★★★½

Taken me ages to get round to watching this, and I can see why it is thought of as a classic. Was surprisingly funny, well written and very interestingly shot, with really different shot set ups. Top that off with Simon and Garfunkel's songs as well.
Only downside, the last act was ruined for me by Wayne's World 2, though fair dues to Mike Myers they nailed it perfectly.
Review by Eric Ly ★★★★

The Sound of Silence prominently used.
Lots of long takes.
Quick cuts, reminiscent of French New Wave influences?
Interesting camera movements and framing.
Coming of age tale. Ben starts as shy, meek, unconfident. Takes action at the end.
Theme: Generational gaps, childhood rebellion.
Review by Grace ★★★★★

Grace's Essentials!

Film #2 in the Grace's Essentials run, and what a great one! On top of being what I think is an essential to cinematic history, this is also one of my all time favorite films. Mike Nichols is a director I really admire, and this my favorite film of his, and also the first film of his that I saw. It knocked me out, and though my letterboxd history does not show it, I've seen this one countless times. It's one of those films you can revisit over and over again. It's equal parts funny and sad, sweet and messed up. It's absolutely perfect.

Speaking of perfect, every aspect of this movie is perfect, no surprise there. The…
Review by Ari Gerber ★★★★

Breaking the rules of the paternal, then rebel and follow their impulses. Reaching an end, happy? In the end, Benjamin and Elaine after their rebellion, rebelled against the authority again, but now, after everything they did, they have nothing left to do.Thus returning the gap that is at the beginning where everything is uncertain in their lives.
Review by Mariana ★★★★

The ending kept me on my toes, it was excellent but pretty tragic as well???
Review by FixedNation

First watch I didn't like it that much, but I don't know why, I haven't thought about in the months following but now I kind of want to watch it again. It might be kind of growing on me, and it's not even supposed to be one of those movies like 2001 and stick to you strongly and grow on you even when you don't like it much the first time.
Review by STEPHEN TUBBS ★★

Hoffman's character soon begins to irritate but there is Anne Bancroft in classy form to compensate. There is one memorable line in the script from a character who works in plastics - "there is a great future in plastics". One of the better soundtracks helps.
Review by Aaron Hendrix ★★★★★ 4

I'm a little worried about my future.

Some of the best editing in all of cinema.

Also, maybe the most acute rendering of the malaise and the anxiety that sets in after you've done what you're supposed to do - and what you want to do.

Having just graduated college this morning, it's honestly scary how accurate Hoffman's portrayal is.

Still a 5/5, obviously. Still in my top 20 of all time.
Review by MikeDHoffman ★★★★★

Although aspects of the filmmaking may feel dated at times, there is a thematic timelessness to “The Graduate” that caters well to college-aged viewers and resonates effectively with those who have endured a hazy, rocky transition to adulthood. Having the world before you without a strong sense of what to do can be a paralyzing dilemma, and such proves to be the case for recent college graduate, Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman). Overwhelmed by the uncertainties of what comes next, as well as the stress of mounting pressure from cultural forces that refuse moments of reprieve for thoughtful reflection, Ben seems most at peace when he sinks to the bottom of his parent’s swimming pool in a scuba suit…