The Graduates

The Graduates is a 2008 American independent coming-of-age teen comedy film directed and written by Ryan Gielen. The film follows four friends—Ben (Rob Bradford), Andy (Blake Merriman), Mattie (Nick Vergara), and Nickie (Michael Pennacchio)—who head to Ocean City, Maryland to celebrate their high school graduation. Plot 18-year-old Ben, fresh out of high school in Maryland, is heading to Senior Week to hang out with friends, party, and chase the hottest girl in high school, Annie. While waiting outside a liquor store in Columbia for his older brother Josh, Ben is talking to himself when Brian, Josh's friend, overhears him, embarrassing Ben. Josh comes out of the store and hands Ben a bag of liquor. The two drive to pick up Ben's three friends, Andy, Mattie, and Nickie. After picking up the trio, the group heads off to Ocean City. During the drive, the group has discussions about sex, which highlights the group's naïveté and their limited understanding of sex . Upon arriving in Ocean City the group gets drunk and goes to a party. Josh attempts to instruct the younger guys on seducing women, telling them "the secret" about female body language. Annie, Ben's crush, enters the party, and her entrance completely distracts Ben. He sits down next to Annie and starts to flirt with her. As Ben and Annie begin to kiss, Nickie gets into a fight, which ends up causing Annie to leave and brings an early end to the party.