Great Graduation Flicks

In honor of my impending college graduation, I decided to put together a list of my favorite graduation movies. Whether they depict high school or college, movies can always reap great drama from starting with the characters in cap and gown (or finishing, as in Last Picture Show).

Reality Bites: I could watch this movie over and over. It is the sort of post-graduation dream that I have and don’t really want to come true. Winona Ryder made losing her crappy job, living in a crappy apartment, dating a personality-lacking Ben Stiller, and pining for her emotionally unavailable best friend seem like the most romantic, ideal way to spend your life, post-diploma.

The Last Picture Show: This one is devastating, a rumination on small-town life and the loss of innocence. Sonny Crawford must part with every aspect of his youth by the end of the film, left to carry on without his childhood friends and pastimes. Even though it’s kind of a bummer, the movie is still a really beautiful depiction of the crossroads people sometimes face in life.

The Graduate (duh): Inappropriate sex and the desire to “find yourself.” Enough said.


Say Anything: The ultimate post-high school fantasy. Lloyd Dobler, average everyman, gets his shot with the beautiful valedictorian he’s had his eye on, and it’s true love. Stalker-ish behavior and a boom box never seemed so romantic.

Can’t Hardly Wait: Another one about the last-chance opportunities you have after you graduate high school. This time it’s about a lot of different people, but with the same Lloyd Dobbler-type fantasy at its center. Highlights include hilarious turns by Seth Green and Charlie Korsmo. Plus, dozens of pre-fame stars pop up, including Donald Faison, Jaime Pressly, Jason Segel (blink and you miss him), and Selma Blair.