Movie Review - Post Grad

Ryden Malbry was not having a good day.

A truck driver totaled her car on the way to her first big interview and then fled the scene.

She didn't get her dream job which, consequently, interfered with her moving into the new and very expensive apartment she already wrote a check for.

She had her life mapped out until her plans and hard work didn't seem to mean anything anymore. In an instant she was left to wonder, "Now what?"

"Post Grad" reminds us of a fear that is all too real for recent and soon-to-be college graduates. It's a question of what to do next and what's really important?

Ryden (Alexis Bledel), however, was overly optimistic about her status as a college grad. Although her father, Walter Malbry (Michael Keaton), works at a luggage store (along with another odd job I won't spoil for you), Ryden seems certain she will have no problem getting hired by a major publishing company.

But when she shows up at the office, there are around 10 other recent grads applying for the same job, including her class's valedictorian that, since grade school, "has been like Darth Vader" to her.

She does not get the job ("Darth Vader" does), nor does she have much luck after that. No job means no money, so she moves back into her parents house.

She then bombs a couple of interviews and attempts to work with both her dad and the extremely gorgeous Brazilian neighbor, each for less than a day.

On top of everything going on, Ryden's family is nothing like her. The mother, Carmella Malbry (Jane Lynch), is too worried about their youngest child, Hunter, who has some very strange behavior and habits.

The grandmother is popping pills, wearing too much makeup and planning what she believes to be her imminent death throughout the entire movie.

Of course, not many movies are made without a romance plot thrown in. This one is equally predictable as the rest - Ryden has a best guy friend, Adam, who is in love with her but whom she has no interest in. But she does have a short-lived romance with someone else.

Eventually, however, there is a happy ending for all. Ryden focuses on being with her family instead of her career, which ironically allows for everything to fall into place.

Things turn out the way they should, even though it is not consistent with how or what she planned.

The plot of this movie is easily relatable for college students and graduates, but was only really interesting and funny because of the other characters and their stories.

The star seemed to fade into the bigger picture of the world happening around her- though I'm not sure how interesting the movie would have been had she not done this.

Ryden is quite one-dimensional, blindly na've and, at first, annoyingly positive, and never really losing it even through all the obstacles blowing up in her face.

This movie probably would have been a very long hour and a half if it were all about Ryden's plight.

Though it's not a completely unique or creative concept, there are some laugh-out-loud speed bumps along what could have been a flat, boring path. And these high points deserve a chance. B-

mcowan@unews.com