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Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review! This week, we’re sinking into the beautifully awkward and emotionally layered world of The Graduate (1967), a landmark in American cinema that captured the confusion and alienation of a generation—and still resonates today.

Directed by Mike Nichols and based on Charles Webb’s novel, The Graduate stars a breakout Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate adrift in a sea of expectations, ennui, and passive-aggressive dinner parties. Returning home to California, Ben finds himself stuck in a well-off suburban limbo, unsure of what to do with his future and utterly disconnected from the adults around him.

Enter Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of his father’s business partner and one of the most iconic seductresses in film history. Their affair is sultry, weirdly funny, and shot through with a tragic edge that gives the film its unique tone—equal parts satire, drama, and coming-of-age fable. Complications multiply when Ben falls for Mrs. Robinson’s daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross), throwing everyone’s lives into romantic chaos and sparking a messy, impulsive pursuit that culminates in one of the most famous closing shots in cinema history.

Visually, The Graduate is striking—Nichols’ inventive use of framing, reflections, and slow dissolves elevates the emotional subtext, and Simon & Garfunkel’s folk-heavy soundtrack ("The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson") lingers in your head long after the credits roll. The music doesn’t just underscore the scenes—it becomes a character in itself, echoing Benjamin’s alienation and longing.

But what really makes The Graduate endure is its tonal complexity. It's satirical, yes, but also melancholic. Benjamin isn’t a traditional hero; he's self-absorbed, indecisive, and often unlikeable. Yet in that uncertainty lies the film’s power—it taps into that restless moment between adolescence and adulthood where everything feels hollow, and rebellion can look like love, lust, or simply running away.

Is the ending romantic or despairing? Is Benjamin a rebel or just another aimless rich kid? The Graduate leaves space for interpretation, and that ambiguity is what keeps it feeling alive, even decades later.

So whether you’re watching for the sharp dialogue, the iconic performances, or just to see Dustin Hoffman awkwardly floating in a pool of existential dread—this one’s a classic for a reason. 🎓🍸💔🎬

We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com.

Until next time, we remain...

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Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review! This week, we're diving headfirst into the chaotic, outrageous, and undeniably quotable world of Wedding Crashers (2005), a film that helped define mid-2000s comedy with its mix of raunch, romance, and relentless party energy.

Directed by David Dobkin, the film stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as John and Jeremy—divorce mediators by day and professional wedding crashers by night. Their philosophy? Weddings are the perfect place to score free food, drinks, and flings, all while soaking up the joyful atmosphere and dancing with old ladies.

Everything changes when the pair infiltrates a high-profile political wedding hosted by the powerful Cleary family. What begins as another con turns unexpectedly sincere when John falls for Claire Cleary (played by Rachel McAdams), throwing a wrench into the duo’s longstanding bro-code. Meanwhile, Jeremy finds himself entangled in a wildly unhinged relationship with Claire's aggressively forward sister Gloria (Isla Fisher), leading to one of the film’s most memorable comedic arcs.

The movie thrives on the chemistry between Vaughn and Wilson, with Vaughn delivering mile-a-minute riffs and Wilson grounding the story with unexpected romantic sincerity. It’s a perfect example of the era’s “man-child comedy” formula: crude jokes balanced by a sentimental core and a redemptive character arc.

But let’s be honest—Wedding Crashers hasn’t aged entirely gracefully. Some of its attitudes toward dating, gender roles, and consent feel uncomfortable through a modern lens, and the film’s relentless pursuit of laughs sometimes comes at the expense of taste. That said, it still delivers big on energy, memorable one-liners, and the sheer absurdity of the crash-and-burn lifestyle.

Also: shoutout to Bradley Cooper as the smarmy villainous boyfriend and Christopher Walken doing his usual weird brilliance as the Cleary patriarch. Plus, the film’s surprise cameo in the third act is still one of the all-time great rom-com twists.

Ultimately, Wedding Crashers remains a significant entry in the bro-comedy canon—problematic in parts, yes, but undeniably influential and still packed with crowd-pleasing laughs. Whether you're in it for the romance or the ridiculousness, there’s plenty to talk about. 🎉💒🥂🕺💬

We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com.

Until next time, we remain...

Bad Dads

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Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review! This week we’re dusting off our ruffled shirts and setting our time machines to the 1980s as we revisit The Wedding Singer (1998), a rom-com that’s equal parts sweet, silly, and synth-soaked.

Directed by Frank Coraci and starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, this nostalgic crowd-pleaser finds Sandler in perhaps his most charming role as Robbie Hart, a down-on-his-luck wedding singer trying to recover from heartbreak. After being jilted at the altar, Robbie befriends Julia (Barrymore), a waitress engaged to a Grade-A sleazeball, and the two strike up a will-they-won’t-they friendship filled with awkward moments, big hair, and a killer retro soundtrack.

The Wedding Singer balances slapstick with sincerity and is elevated by the natural chemistry between its leads. Barrymore’s sweetness softens Sandler’s usual chaos, making for a genuinely endearing romantic pairing. And let’s not forget Christine Taylor, Steve Buscemi’s brilliant drunken best man speech, and Billy Idol playing himself in one of the most gloriously absurd plane-based finales ever filmed.

The movie also serves as a love letter to the 1980s, cramming in everything from breakdancing to New Wave fashion to Wall Street-era villainy. It’s unashamedly sentimental, but also knowingly daft—like a mixtape of cheesy love songs and punchy jokes that somehow hits all the right notes.

Whether you grew up in the ‘80s or just wish you had, The Wedding Singer delivers that warm, fuzzy vibe that makes it ideal for rewatching with mates—or maybe even at a wedding. 🎤💍🕺🍾🎬

We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com.

Until next time, we remain...

Bad Dads