From documentaries like Bowling For Columbine to The Fallout, which features one of Jenna Ortega’s best performances, movies about school shootings are not new and are unfortunately more timely than ever. The Graduates has quite a few similarities to the latter — it focuses on the survivors in the aftermath of the event, centers around a friendship, and features a star-making performance from its lead, Mina Sundwall — but Hannah Peterson’s thoughtful direction sets it apart, making it feel both authentic and unique.
The premise of The Graduates is relatively simple. It follows a young woman named Genevieve (Sundwall) through her senior year of high school. From stressing out about getting into college to drinking milkshakes and going swimming with her friends, it’s a pretty typical and relatable experience. However, it quickly becomes clear that there are added complications she’s dealing with, as it’s revealed her boyfriend Tyler was one of the victims of a school shooting the previous year — one she was in the building for.
‘The Graduates’ Features Masterfully Subtle Performances
While the trauma of being at school while her boyfriend died haunts Genevieve, the fact that Ben (Alex Hibbert), Tyler’s best friend, skipped class that day weighs heavily on him. Ben is experiencing intense survivor’s guilt, going so far as to transfer schools and ultimately dropping out to get his GED instead. Around the one-year anniversary of Tyler’s death, Genevieve and Ben rekindle their friendship, both helping one another heal and forcing each other to confront difficult, complicated feelings.
Genevieve is our main protagonist, and Sundwall handles her challenging role with breathtaking grace. It’s a part that could easily feel melodramatic but feels raw and nuanced in her capable hands. Sundwall possesses both a softness and strength, never allowing Genevieve to turn into a caricature of a perpetually weepy girlfriend nor a pillar of constant, unemotional strength. Rather, she makes it clear that Genevieve is just trying to survive, attempting to find that balance of memorializing the person she loved while moving on and making a future for herself. The restrained nature of her performance makes those few moments when she does break down or lash out feel all the more heartbreaking and hit even harder. If there’s any justice in this world, this will be a breakout role for her.
Hibbert’s performance is notable, too, bringing remarkable depth and emotion to Ben. Together, they have excellent chemistry, with their dynamic anchoring the film. It’s easy to see why the two would gravitate toward and confide in one another, and when their friendship does turn into something more, it’s quietly electric and gorgeously shot. There’s a sweet, innocent nature to it shaded by a somber wisdom beyond their years due to the tragedy bonding them together. Yasmeen Fletcher and Ewan Manley, who flesh out Genevieve and Ben’s friend group, add some refreshing levity. The way Gen Z is portrayed in media is often a hot topic of conversation, with characters either feeling far older than their age or like shallow stereotypes, but they capture the singular energy that toes the line between jadedness and hope, anxiety and fearless persistence.
Though the adults aren’t in the spotlight, they do play an integral role. John Cho is wonderful as the school’s basketball coach and Tyler’s father, and his own journey is beautiful, though the specifics could benefit from a bit more clarity. The same can be said for Kelly O’Sullivan, who plays the encouraging counselor — another part that nicely subverts easy stereotypes of overly sunshiney or tough. They each get a chance to shine and feel multi-dimensional, but beefing up their backstories just a little more could have taken it from good to great. Some of the film’s most powerful scenes are between Genevieve and her mother (Maria Dizzia), whose fierce love and compassion for her daughter shines through. The tender moments where Genevieve allows herself to be taken care of hit hard and feel cathartic. Every role works together to paint a picture of an entire town struggling with loss and rallying around one another to get through it.
Hannah Peterson Is a Director to Watch
Peterson mentored under filmmakers like Sean Baker (The Florida Project, Tangerine) and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, The Rider), and their influences are clear in the best way. There’s a natural, lived-in quality to the cinematography and performances alike. The decision not to flashback to the shooting keeps the film from ever feeling exploitative or emotionally manipulative. Peterson isn’t going to try and shock the audience into caring, nor does she feel the need to get flashy with overdramatic plotlines or camera tricks. Rather, she has enough confidence in her characters and performers to carry the film — a decision that pays off.
It’s the details — the metal detectors you have to go through and badges you have to scan simply to get in the school, the memorial hanging on the wall — that do all the talking, reminding the audience of the fresh wound of the tragedy without harping on it. The same goes for the characters. The small moments we do see Tyler through shaky phone videos and memories enhance the story, but it’s Genevieve recounting a short, silly memory about him coming over for dinner at her house that makes us feel like we really know him.
While there are a few things that feel a little glossed over or rushed — the aforementioned arcs for Tyler’s father and the school counselor, Genevieve’s interest in photography, and the faith lives of the characters among them — the film is far more interested in the present and the relationships between the characters in the main ensemble. This leads to some delightful and unexpected moments, including ones between Genevieve and Tyler’s dad, as well as Ben and the counselor. There are no real villains or antagonists — even the stricter teachers are understanding, and the gunman doesn’t get a name or even a real mention — and while it ends on a hopeful note, nothing feels tied up in a neat bow or magically fixed. Instead, the message is that grief is something you learn to live with.
The Graduates is a compelling drama with incredible performances across the board and confident direction. It may be a quiet film, but rest assured, it has a strong viewpoint and a lot to say. I, for one, am excited to see what those involved in it — particularly Peterson and Sundwall — will have to say next, as The Graduates should be just the start of long, exciting careers for both of them.
Grade: A-
The Graduates had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
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