Skip to content
MovieCove
Post Grad

Post Grad

A pre-life crisis.

200988 minPG-13Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Director
Vicky Jenson
Starring
Alexis Bledel, Zach Gilford, Michael Keaton, Jane Lynch

Ryden Malby has a master plan. Graduate college, get a great job, hang out with her best friend and find the perfect guy. But her plan spins hilariously out of control when she’s forced to move back home with her eccentric family.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Post Grad?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Post Grad streaming on Disney+ and Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

New

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Post Grad?

Post Grad earns 4 badges, led by Overhyped and Box Office Flop.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Post Grad worth watching?

Post Grad's Midcredits score is the 15th percentile of all films, from 31K ratings across 6 sources. 25% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

15th percentile

Better received than 15% of films

14th percentile among Comedy15th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)18th
Approval (how many liked it)15th

51 /100

18th percentile of all films

18th percentile among Comedy19th percentile among 2000s

Critics 35 · Audience 52

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

25% liked it

15th percentile of all films

14th percentile among Comedy14th percentile among 2000s
25% rated it 7–1075% rated it 1–6

Critics 9% · Audience 27%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

93rd percentile

31K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 45% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$2.7M
Domestic gross$6.4M
Worldwide gross$6.4M

Returned 0.4× its budget — 67th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A light, formulaic romantic comedy about a recent college graduate moving back home and finding herself.

Fans praised

  • Charming cast with strong comic support from Keaton, Lynch, Burnett
  • Relatable post-college job search struggles
  • Light, feel-good entertainment with a sweet message about family and friendship

Detractors panned

  • Unlikable, self-absorbed protagonist with weak character arc
  • Unfunny, clichéd script with pointless subplots (belt buckles, soapbox derby)
  • Insulting ending where heroine quits dream job for a romance

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

Bledel charming but limited; Keaton, Lynch, Burnett steal scenes

Pacing50

Short runtime but drags due to dull subplots

DialogueDivisive30

Unfunny, corny lines; few witty exchanges

CharactersDivisive20

Ryden unlikable and self-pitying; family caricatures

HumorDivisive20

Few laughs; slapstick falls flat, Keaton/Burnett provide only amusement

Plot and storyDivisive15

Predictable, clichéd, with contrived ending

Originality10

Generic rom-com formula, no fresh ideas

Ending10

Unsatisfying, anti-feminist; character quits dream for romance

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Post Grad like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulBittersweetRomantic
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmRomantic · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its romantic comedy conventions straight, with sincere emotion beneath light comedy.
The rideThe film maintains a light, upbeat mood with occasional frustration and embarrassment, building to an earnest romantic climax.
StructureConventional linear story from graduation to reconciliation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayA light, predictable rom-com that affirms following your heart over a rigid life plan.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% (this title) · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Romantic comedy: Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.

11% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA confident recent graduate's plans unravel, forcing her to reassess her priorities and ultimately find love with her best friend.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of filmsFamily bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeRyden's journey is about discovering that life's purpose isn't a fixed career plan but grows from the people you choose to be with.
StanceThe film affirms that purpose is found in relationships rather than career milestones, with warm, low-stakes optimism.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanSuburbanDomesticRealistic
PopOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Christophe Beck
SettingA recent college graduate's suburban family home and Los Angeles job market
MusicBeck's score blends acoustic pop cues with light orchestral touches to match the comedic-romantic tone.

Content guide

Is Post Grad okay for kids?

PG-13

Post Grad is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sexual situations and brief strong language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (28/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at moderate (37/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (28/100) and frightening material at minimal (14/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • Germany6
  • Ireland12
  • JapanPG12
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • SK12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 45%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (43 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Post Grad have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Post Grad?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Alexis Bledel
as Ryden Malby
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Zach Gilford
as Adam Davies
Michael Keaton
as Walter Malby
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jane Lynch
as Carmella Malby
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Bobby Coleman
as Hunter Malby
Carol Burnett
as Grandma Maureen
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Rodrigo Santoro
as David Santiago
Catherine Reitman
as Jessica Bard
Mary Anne McGarry
as Barbara Snaff
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
J.K. Simmons
as Roy Davies
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Post Grad?

Movies like Post Grad include Home Again (2017), Trojan War (1997) and Yours, Mine & Ours (2005). Of the 12 closest matches, most are friends-to-lovers stories, and most are films set in the suburbs.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: romantic comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Post Grad?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: friends to lovers. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.