MovieChat Forums > All Relative (2014) Discussion > Remake of "The Graduate" with a 2014 sp...

Remake of "The Graduate" with a 2014 spin


This seems to me to be a remake of the classic "The Graduate" (1970). But without the classic Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack (including the hit "Mrs.Robinson"). In fact, the lack of a soundtrack keeps you from drawing comparisons to "The Graduate" until the very end.

Jonathan Sadowski plays Dustin Hoffman's Ben Braddock character (Harry). He's pretty good except he can't seem to bring chemistry to his role as Sara Paxton's love interest Paxton plays the innocent, love-smitten Katherine Ross character andshe's a delight(and easy on the eyes). And Connie Nielsen is the mature Mrs. Robinson character and she brings dimensions to the role that Anne Bancroft never brought to Mrs. Robinson.

I don't mind remakes if done well. And, to my surprise, there's no drop-off in acting, production values, and writing here. In fact, in many ways, this version seems more layered, more intimate.

My only peeve is with Sadowski's eyebrows. They look tweezed and I keep expecting at some point of the story his character is going to admit he's gay and then the story will take some interesting twist. But it didn't happen.

Enjoyable. The eyebrows distracted me throughout. And Sadowski's lack of romantic chemistry which I didn't feel from him like I felt from the object of his "desire", Paxton. But he shows promise. Paxton has already arrived.

reply

Interesting.

reply

Good comparison and I thought the same as well. Your comment about Jonathan Sadowski was right on. I think the movie greatly suffered from casting him as Harry. There was definitely a lack of chemistry between him and Paxton.

reply

Thank you so much for posting about his eyebrows! I couldn't look at him seriously knowing that he plucked the hell out of his brows to the point of looking like a completely different person.

reply

OMG I am watching this and wondering what in the hell is wrong with the lead guy (Sadowski's) face. I couldn't figure it out. Thought it was something with eyeliner or what. It was bugging me so much. So I come up here and read you post and I'm like THAT'S IT!!!!! I was going crazy. Now I can't stop looking at them. They are like ladies eyebrows. Way to trimmed.

reply