Post Grad

Former Gilmore Girls and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants alum Alexis Bledel deserves better than filmmaker Vicky Jenason's ridiculous coming-of-age comedy, in which she portrays ambitious, overconfident, college grad Ryden Malby, who's determined to make it big in the L.A. publishing business. Bubbling with enthusiasm, Ryden is robbed of her dream job by Jessica Bard (Catherine Reitman) and forced to return home, which means going back to suburbia in the San Fernando Valley with her daffy do-it-yourself, get-rich-quick-inclined dad (Michael Keaton), penny-pinching mom (Jane Lynch), weird kid brother (Bobby Coleman), and politically incorrect, oxygen-tank-toting grandma (Carol Burnett). Whiny Ryden's only solace is spending time with her devoted best friend, Adam (Zach Gilford), who offers the promise of a solid relationship. Or should she take a chance with a hunky Brazilian named David (Rodrigo Santoro)? Aside from the formulaic characters and situations, what's most distressing about Kelly Fremon's script, are the notions that when encountering career obstacles, young women should forget their dreams, aspirations, and independence; return to the nest; settle for security with an eligible suitor; and/or wait for a miracle. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Post Grad Survival Guide” with behind-the-scenes featurettes (including “Real Life Advice with Alexis Biedel & Zach Gilford,” “Know Your Strengths: Career Advice,” “How Not to Get a Job,” and more), interactive games, and quizzes (34 min.), deleted/alternate scenes (14 min.), and the music video “One Day” performed by Jack Savoretti. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing film.] (S. Granger)