"Post Grad" (2009) - Movie Review

The phase of job search after graduation is the worst especially when the job market is hitting down underground and the hopes of a great life after stricken of cautious about spending in the student years. The bad phase happened to me twice. Once back home and other out here in the land of the States. The first time though it was only guilt of living of parent’s money and the second time it was guilt with stringent money supply. Although my dear cousin in California generously tolerated me to stay at his place and supported me big time for which I owe him lot of drunken night calls, I was uber conscious to not trouble him. Thanks my man Sai ! Today second time in a row, a film which I did not like made me relate the experience I had. This film though it is not alone something I disliked but as it went on the suicidal cruise control, it irritated to the depths of cliches.

Ryden (Alexis Bidel) is the over aspirant college graduate. She has figured out here life perfectly well. The dream job lined up for her to be interviewed, a very good friend Adam (Zach Gilford) she has successfully managed to keep away from relationship, a typical father (Michael Keaton) and mother (Jane Lynch) molded for Hollywood feel good films and everything to go wrong so that the film can happen.

But before I bludgeon this, there needs a mention of how much of the little Michael Keaton gets and how much he makes of it. He comes as the middle class family man trying to be the best he can be for his family. He is neurotic and has this great ideas for business which only gets him in trouble. He is also the wannabe mechanic dad jumping ahead to repair Ryden’s damaged card while we know it will be a slow and painful death for it. Keaton is not alone the only character real enough in this film but he makes his time the better part in the film. While Jane Lynch and Zach Gilford fulfill their part as requested, they are the victims of the script by Kelly Fremon.

“Post Grad” has the best setting for a comedy, drama and may be the first to step its foot on the doors of the modern day job decline wherein a graduate degree is no more an assurance for a secure career. Instead it becomes an uncontrollable slightly matured teenage girl soap opera story. Its attempt on the dysfunctional family staying together and the young girl getting courses on her life ahead invites nothing but very much convincing yawns.

There is the mid thirties next door neighbour David (Rodrigo Santaro), supposed to be the catalyst to this story. Through him Ryden would take a quasi romance trip and a quick wrap up to get an advice on the importance of her family. Another yawn out here. The poor nice guy will be Adam having his hopes high up for his girl to turn around and the process is boring than an attested corporate process control in the current industry.

“Post Grad” directed by Vicky Jenson is not the worst film but it is on the lines of the films made zillion times before. Which makes it the most unoriginal and a bad formulaic film in those lines. These emotional exploitation is too much of a soul selling in the industry manufacturing as a bad selling product. The truth though is that it sells. It sells good with the customers who knows it is bad. Thus the people along with me in the theater sure did enjoy because this entertainment is the stress reliever. But I am doubting whether it is a killer of brain cells in the most unhealthy psychological way.