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Garden State (2004)
Written by Rick Mauer
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You may know Zach Braff
as the star of the TV show Scrubs, which is my favourite show
on TV right now and possibly ever. Garden State is a movie that
he wrote, directed and starred in (I believe it is his debut with
the first two), and does a tremendous job in all those roles.
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When I heard about
this movie, I was excited to see it knowing that Zach Braff was
involved. High expectations going into a movie is usually a nice
set-up to be let-down, even if it is a good movie. I was also
worried that it would be solely a slow-going drama movie where
not much happens. It turns out that's exactly the type of movie
it was, however, it was genuine and filled with enough quirkiness
and humour to make it work.
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Zach Braff
stars as Andrew Largeman, who is sort of a failed actor in Hollywood
. He's been on so many prescription mood-altering drugs, for so
long, that he is completely apathetic towards everything. For
example, he barely reacts when he learns that his mother has died.
Because of the death of his mother, he has to return home to his
estranged father, and basically dysfunctional group of old hometown
friends. Nathalie Portman is the other main character. She plays
Sam, a unique, compulsive liar. When Andrew returns home, he also
runs into his old friends who have gone nowhere in life. Peter
Sarsgaard is one of them, and plays the largest role. He happens
to be the gravedigger who buries Andrew's mom.
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| The only flaw in the movie is that the beginning is really, really
slow. However, it has to be. It reflects Andrew's state of mind.
When he returns home, he doesn't bring any of his drugs, and the
fog around his attitude slowly begins to lift, and the pace of the
film reflects that. The movie picks up when he meets Sam, and starts
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