The Graduates

So, I saw this movie the other week because a friend told me it was online for free as some kind of a promo. I wasn't expecting much - it looked like another standard teen sex romp movie on the outside - but I found that there was a lot more to "The Graduates" than other movies in its genre.

Let's face it, a lot of comedies made today suck. I mean: "Scream 4"!? "Disaster Movie"? Come on! What happened to the smart, clever movies that people like Steve Martin USED to make, like "The Jerk?" Now all you have to do is say or do something outlandish or weird in order to get a movie made (cough - Will Ferrell).

Judd Apatow's crew are on the right track. They've put the emphasis back on character and relationships, but the people that did "The Graduates" seem to be pushing for more - something with quality acting and grounded relationships - things that people can relate to and connect to and FEEL for. I don't remember the last time I saw a teen sex comedy or coming of age comedy where I really gave a hoot whether the characters/actors lived or died - and that's just what happened for me with "The Graduates." I liked "The Graduates." I really did. I liked it even MORE when I found out that it was made for under $100,000.00. Now that's impressive. Think of how much money is wasted on such terrible movies, then see this movie - wow.

I saw all these bizarre reviews/comments on their page which really didn't make sense - a rating of 4.4? Weird, vague comments by other users who didn't seem to be talking about the same movie I saw and openly admitting that they only watched 30 mins of a 90 min film? I hope that this blemish doesn't hurt the success of this otherwise well-received film.

The plot is pretty typical, but it's what they DO with it that matters. The cinematography and direction is pretty straight forward, which makes sense for a film like this on this scale - you can only do so much with a small budget and you only SHOULD do so much with a character-driven piece. The acting? From these unknowns? Really kind of impressive - I saw that Nick Vergara, who plays Mattie in the film, got commended by my favorite website: FilmschoolRejects.com. I agree with their review. There really are no weak links in this film in terms of the talent.

I found more info at www.TheGraduatesMovie.com about the film and got a free soundtrack and I will see it again when/if it plays near me.

The Graduates shows a bright future in the magnificent talent of writer/director Ryan Gielen. A brilliant, well written coming of age film takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions, that comes to a halt with a great message that will certainly make you think! Nick Vergaga offers a standout performance as the best bud, Mattie, but I'm not saying that the entire cast didn't offer a spectacular performance. That would be farthest from the truth. On many occasions, this reminded me a little bit about my own journey, enlightening me through their deep conversations, or experiences. You will not be disappointed with this movie! It's a must-see!!!!

I'm 39, happily married, three kids, all between 5-10 years old. I watched the sneak preview on a Saturday night sitting in my pj's and laughed out loud probably twenty times. To the point my wife actually watched a little. She watched up to the point where Nickie said he wanted to dunk the girl's head in the toilet, she left at that point.

I think you have to step back and watch the whole thing without thinking about Superbad or the other high school comedy movies that come out because this is a different thing, this is an old school film not a new school movie. Something really special here, and I know because I keep saying "alright, I gotta go inside and get ****ed up real quick, then I'll drive you wherever you want..." It's a smart-alec comedy, which I like.

Though independent and "low budget", what others have deemed "staged" and "faked" (perfect "in frame" shots), seems to be a disguised complement on the quality of camera work for an "amateur" production!

The characters are realistic representations of people we all knew (maybe even were) throughout high school.

The cast seemed well selected (from looks/costuming/etc) for their "parts". The main characters, are not the "beautiful", "popular", "jocks"..... they are the other ones, the ones that weren't "popular" per se', but weren't outcasts.

Remember that beautiful girl that everybody wanted? How about the "nice girl" who fell in love with her best friend? Or (my favorite) the "dead beat" older brother who still is scarred from his first time having sex.

Yes, there are a few clichés but really.....they're clichés for a reason. BECAUSE THEY'RE REAL!!!!

All the characters I could put names to my former schoolmates.

This was all-in-all a fun, nostalgic romp through what was an otherwise traumatizing time.

This movie is not just a run of the mill coming of age comedy, but one with heart, insight, and new adventures. I thoroughly enjoyed it. the scenes were authentic and i'm still quoting several memorable lines. As a newbie to the world of indie films, i was really impressed to see how much could be accomplished with very limited resources. It makes me want to see more from this group of very dedicated and talented film makers and actors. i definitely recommend seeing this film. Whether you are waiting to experience senior week for yourself or reliving the one(s) that you remember, this movie will leave you smiling and waiting anxiously for summer 2009!