There have been far too many school shootings in the U.S. I was a junior in high school when Columbine happened — and our school, far away from Colorado, was plagued by false threats throughout my senior year. I have spent the last 18 years in a classroom as a teacher in various capacities, and have experienced numerous drills and fortunate false alarms geared around the threat of violence. As this plague upon our youth has become disturbingly normalized, many films now approach the topic from different angles. Writer and director Hannah Peterson’s film The Graduates addresses the question: how do survivors move on?
The Graduates follows three individuals as they grapple with the aftermath of Tyler’s death due to gun violence. Genevieve (Mina Sundwall), Tyler’s girlfriend, struggles to find the motivation to move forward and plan her future, while Ben (Alex R. Hibbert), Tyler’s best friend, wrestles with his sense of identity and place within their group. Meanwhile, Tyler’s father, John (John Cho), teeters on the edge of losing control, torn between his grief and the responsibility of coaching the school’s basketball team as his son’s classmates attempt to move on. As each of them navigates their own path through loss, they find solace in one another and the community around them, slowly rediscovering hope.
Peterson’s film is not the first to tackle the aftermath of a school shooting. Mass (2021) places two married couples, impacted in different ways by a school shooting, in the same room as they attempt to come to terms with the tragedy. The Fallout (2021) begins with a shooting happening just outside the walls where the characters are hiding and then follows their attempts to return to normal. Rudderless (2014) follows a father who was somewhat disconnected from his son before their tragedy and seeks to understand him more after his death. While The Graduates approaches the same topic, it feels notably different — and the powerful performances coupled with a resonant story make it a must-see for this type of story.
The weight of the tragedy experienced by the characters is immediately passed onto the audience. Their loss is palpable long before the full story unfolds. The visuals, lighting, music, and set design plunge the viewer into the depths of the characters’ grief from the start. You feel what they’re experiencing right away, and as they begin to process their emotions in their own ways, that pressure lifts from our shoulders as well. It’s a powerful example of how films can make us feel what the characters are going through.
The performances of the three main characters are outstanding. The scenes with the high school-aged cast feel genuine and lived-in, giving the film a heavy emotional weight. Thankfully, The Graduates is about moving forward, and doesn’t dwell solely on making the audience feel terrible..nor does it suggest that such tragedies are something to simply “get over.” It shows that no matter how overwhelming the pain and loss may feel, there’s a way to keep going.
While there’s much to praise in this movie, there are a few clunky moments of dialogue. One example is the writing of a classroom teacher’s character. Between the awkward line delivery and the overly scripted dialogue, these classroom scenes feel false and fabricated. In a different film, this might be less noticeable, but when everything else feels so authentic, these moments stand out. They’re not enough to derail the film, but they are jarring.
The Graduates is a well-made film that will resonate all too well with its audience. It is a deeply moving and authentic exploration of grief and survival. I wish there wasn’t a need for stories like this, but until major changes happen in the real world, these stories remain necessary. Life is precious, and when it’s lost, the impact is profound. This film reminds us that even in the face of tragedy, we must find a way to keep living.
The Graduates will be in theaters on November 1.
Rating: 4/5
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