Watch Graduation

The movie Graduation, directed by Cristian Mungiu, tells the story of a Romanian physician named Romeo Aldea (Adrian Titieni) who lives in a small town with his wife Magda (Lia Bugnar). He is a well-respected member of the community and is obsessed with his daughter Eliza (Maria Dragus) succeeding academically and leaving the country to attend a prestigious university.

However, Eliza's plans are jeopardized when she is assaulted on her way to school and suffers a wrist injury that could affect her performance on her upcoming final exams. Romeo becomes increasingly desperate to ensure her success, going to great lengths to secure her future, including wavering from his ethical code.

Throughout the film, we see Romeo's moral compass shift as he tries to manipulate those around him and bend the rules to guarantee Eliza's future success. Simultaneously, he has a strained relationship with his mistress Sandra (Malina Manovici) and must navigate his guilt and their complicated relationship.

The story is set against the backdrop of a corrupt society where the police and bureaucracy are deeply flawed, and nothing is what it seems. The film also tackles themes of generational trauma, the consequences of small-town gossip, and the pressure parents face trying to secure their children's futures.

The film's use of long takes and close-ups on the character's faces gives the audience an intimate understanding of the characters' motives and emotions. The camera lingers on their expressions, letting us see the subtle shifts in their facial expressions and body language as they grapple with their moral dilemmas.

In terms of acting, the performances are exceptional, with Adrian Titieni's portrayal of Romeo being the standout. His nuanced performance perfectly captures the character's conflicting emotions as he tries to balance his ambition for his daughter with his moral duty.

Overall, Graduation is a poignant and thought-provoking film. It explores the clash between ethics and goals and the lengths people are willing to go to protect their loved ones. The film's realistic portrayal of small-town life in Romania, coupled with its strong performances and compelling storyline, ensures that it is a must-watch for fans of arthouse cinema.

Graduation is a 2016 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 7 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3 and a MetaScore of 84.