The Graduates
Written and Directed by Hannah Peterson
Starring: Mina Sundwall, Alex Hibbert and John Cho
Untated
Runtime: 87 minutes
In theaters November 1

by Chelsea Alexandra, Staff Writer

Hannah Peterson’s The Graduates delivers a powerful and courageous story about a young woman preparing to graduate high school in the wake of the gun violence that shook her community a year prior. The film's emotionally charged storytelling captures the many layers and stages of grief and healing, leaving a lasting impact.

Graduating high school has always come with a sense of uncertainty. The weight of the world is instantly put on your shoulders, being eighteen and having to have it all figured out. However, now, more so than ever, there is a deep fear that lies beneath that uncertainty. A fear of if you should even think about the future when you are simply trying to survive to the next school year. It is a stark reality that high school students face in the year 2024. They carry a burden of the world and deal with a safety that isn’t always guaranteed.

With the school year ending and all her friends thinking about the future, Genevive (Mina Sundwall) struggles to move forward. It has only been a year since her boyfriend, Tyler, was shot and killed by a school shooter. Genevive isn’t the only person who is affected by Tyler’s death. His best friend, Ben (Alex Hibbert), is also struggling to move forward. After the shooting, he moved to another town and enrolled in a new school to start over. When he comes back to town, he is reunited with Genevive. The two catch up on what has happened to them in the last year but with this reconnection, they are forced to face their grief head-on.

Tyler’s father, John (John Cho), is also frozen in time by his grief. His wife and young daughter are miles away while he stays behind to continue to coach the high school basketball team. However, staying behind means he is forced to watch Tyler’s classmates move forward and graduate. He is constantly in pain watching the life that could have been, what should have been for his son. The three stories are intertwined and connected due to Tyler. In the final weeks of high school, they begin to navigate what the future could look like knowing how unexpected and uncertain life can be.

Gunfire is the number one cause of death amongst children and teens in the United States. There are many school shooting films that depict the harrowing realities of gun violence and beg for gun reform. However, what sets The Graduates apart from most of these films is that it doesn't center around the act itself. It takes place a year later and follows the stories of those left behind. At its core, it's a film about grief, revealing its complexities through the perspectives of three characters: the father, the best friend, and the girlfriend left behind. Diving into the unpredictable nature of grief, The Graduates illustrate that there is no set timeline for healing. By drawing parallels between the aftermath of the shooting, the transition of graduation, and the uncertainties of life, The Graduates brings the story full circle in a powerful, resonant way. It is a heart wrenching coming-of-age film that does shine a light at the end of the tunnel. One of the most powerful and hopeful moments of the film comes when Sundwall’s character Genevive, attends a teen grief support circle. It is a moment where she is allowed to feel around others who understand her pain. A light that although the healing process is not linear, it is possible to heal and to move forward.

The performances of the three central actors are subtle yet profoundly impactful. Each individually captures the nuances of grief with remarkable depth. Hibbert’s character, Ben, grapples with the loneliness of grief and the weight of survivor's guilt stemming from his loss. Ben often copes with his grief by leaving voicemails, using these moments to express his feelings. Sometimes he uses Tyler's voicemail to talk to his friend. His one-sided conversations are infused with raw emotion, revealing the depth of his struggles. In contrast, Sundwall’s character expresses grief through avoidance, anger, and hopelessness about the future.

In a reality where fears of a school shooting are ever-present, Sundwall and Hibbert’s characters are not only grappling with grief but are also faced with the pressures of thinking about college and their futures. The way they convey the world's burdens on their shoulders is brilliantly done in this film. Cho delivers a heartbreaking portrayal of Tyler’s father, John. His quiet performance is filled with pain, reflecting his struggle to maintain composure while supporting the high school athletes around him. There’s a palpable sense of silent resentment towards his circumstances in Cho’s performance, adding an extra layer of heartbreak.

Peterson's feature debut, The Graduates, is a powerful film that makes a lasting impact. The film thoughtfully examines how the trauma of a school shooting lingers long after it disappears from the headlines. It offers relief for those who are navigating their pain when the world has already moved on. This beautifully crafted film, with its exceptional performances, strikes straight at the heart.