Overview
A young man's journey through seduction and self-discovery unfolds in a world of adult complexities.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- satirical
- awkward
- classic movie night
- late night viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly acclaim the film's performances, Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack, comic precision, and vivid capture of post-college malaise, while acknowledging some dated or uneven elements.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ben returns from college to an affluent California homecoming but has no clear purpose or direction.
Ben is repeatedly isolated by the Braddock household, hotel rooms, swimming pools, and polished suburban settings.
Ben's parents and their social circle pressure him toward prescribed careers, relationships, and respectability.
Mrs. Robinson methodically pursues inexperienced twenty-one-year-old Ben while controlling access to her daughter Elaine.
Films like The Graduate, and why
The Apartment
shared coming-of-age uncertainty, romantic entanglements, and witty critique of social expectations
Five Easy Pieces
shared New Hollywood sensibility, alienated young protagonist, and romantic drama with comic undertones
Harold and Maude
shared generational rebellion, awkward romance, and satirical treatment of middle-class conformity
Movie Details
- Director
- Mike Nichols
- Release Date
- 1967-12-21
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (3823)
Cast
- Dustin Hoffman
- Anne Bancroft
- Katharine Ross
- William Daniels
- Murray Hamilton
- Elizabeth Wilson
- Buck Henry
- Brian Avery
- Walter Brooke
- Norman Fell
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Graduate about?
- A directionless California graduate is pulled between an affair with a married older woman and an unexpectedly genuine romance with her daughter.
- What is The Graduate like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Graduate as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Graduate violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Graduate.
- What did critics think of The Graduate?
- Critics broadly acclaim the film's performances, Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack, comic precision, and vivid capture of post-college malaise, while acknowledging some dated or uneven elements.
- Which films are like The Graduate?
- Films with a similar feel include The Apartment, Five Easy Pieces, and Harold and Maude.
- How long is The Graduate?
- The Graduate runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Graduate?
- In United States, The Graduate streams on Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel.
