“Garden State” (Fox Searchlight)
“Garden State” is a movie written by Zach Braff, directed by Zach Braff, and starring Zach Braff. That’s a lot of credits for an actor primarily known as the star of the NBC sitcom “Scrubs.” But this movie shows there’s a lot more to Mr. Braff than meets the eye.
The film focuses on Andrew Largeman (Braff) who is an actor in Hollywood, a basically non-successful actor. At twenty-six years of age he leads a basically zoned out life as he is on a wide range of drugs his psychiatrist father (Ian Holm) has prescribed for him.
One day he gets a call from his father telling him his paraplegic mother has drowned in the bathtub. Andrew catches the next flight home to New Jersey to attend his mother’s funeral. At the funeral he reconnects with his old high school pal Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) who is now a gravedigger.
The next day Andrew goes to a local doctor because he is having headaches. There he meets a girl named Sam (Natalie Portman). They hit it off and begin to spend some time with each other.
The movie is a series of vignettes that show the quirky lives that these characters endure. Their lives are ordinary in some respects but out of the ordinary in others. They seem to be living in Jerry Seinfeld land where the most banal moments are the most interesting.
The movie has moments that appear to be totally honest, almost as if they were being improvised by the cast. These are the most enjoyable times in the film. Then there are the contrived moments that dominate the film and they are painful in their effort to be quirky and clever to the nth degree.
Braff and Portman portray an engaging couple who are drawn to each other because of the fact they are different. In this case opposites don’t attract, similar ones do. Sarsgaard fills out the trio of talent as a stoner who will never amount to anything and doesn’t really care.
The film is rated R for profanity and some sexual situations.
The problem with Zach Braff’s film is that it shows how desperately it is trying to be different. The old adage “never let them see you sweat” applies here as you can see Braff in your mind’s eye sweating away to make this film quirky to the extreme. That is its biggest weakness and also its biggest asset.
“Garden State” will probably draw a wide reaction from all who see it. Some will be impressed by its unique aspects, while others will be underwhelmed by its lack of a point. But love it or hate it you have to be impressed by Braff’s talent in bringing it all together.
I scored “Garden State” a growing 5 out of 10.
