james00769 I feel like this movie didn't know exactly what it wanted to be. Also, it seemed to bend the truth a little too much in its trailer. Almost posing as a throw back to 80s sex comedies, but then ending up being another indie movie about finding yourself. I felt like it tried too hard to develop some characters that didn't need to be developed, and thus all of the characters ended up without real depth. I think if the movie just focused on the four main characters then it would've been much better.Some forced moments were 1) When the hot girl goes to the bar with her alcoholic boyfriend and sees an ugly old drunk woman in the bar. As if she were looking into the future. This was hit over our head and not needed. Because the movie never sets up this character as someone to care about.2) The divorce of the main characters parents. He finds out they are getting a divorce and it really messes him up....for one scene. Then it is completely forgotten about and never brought up again. I'm not really sure why it was brought up in the first place.Those are the two that jumped off the screen for me, but there were others in the movie. Like the creepy friend of the older brother. What was the point of him? He came in and out of the movie and never added anything. or the guy that made Josh realize there is more to life than partying at beach week. Only to end up being miserable as well later in the film for a scene between him and another character that is mostly irrelevant. How come those two get a moment together? Is the message that you are going to be miserable no matter what you decide to do with your life?Having said that (Curb Your Enthusiasm joke anyone?), this movie was enjoyable to watch. Mainly because I loved some of the performances. Josh Adam Davis as the older brother was perfect. He added a little Will Ferrell to the character that really made it memorable. (Watch him explain the "brushing back the hair" phenomenon with Will Ferrell in mind and you'll know what I am talking about.) Blake Merriman was hilarious in the movie. His acting was so understated which made his character more believable. I'd love to see Nick Vergara in something else to find out if he was actually acting or just playing himself in this movie. I really enjoyed him in the scene where he teaches Nickie a lesson about acting stupid and starting fights. I would also like to see Rob Bradford in another role as his performance was at times really grounded and believable and other times forced. Which leads me to believe that the director may have been forcing his vision on Bradford instead of letting the actor create a believable character throughout the film.

bhoeg001 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!!!!

kathleen56 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!

elblaqo2 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.