Review
Garden State
- Director
- Zach Braff
- Year
- 2004
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Thursday, November 04, 2004
This is Garden State, a story about an aspiring actor in L.A. who goes back home in New Jersey to attend his mother’s funeral. Andrew Largeman, a.k.a. Large (Braff) lives a somewhat numb existence. He appears to be unable to enjoy life or experience any kind of emotion or sentiment. His visit home is not really, apparently, an important event for him, but rather an obligation.
The reasons why Large’s existence is the way it is are unclear at first. He seems out of place at a crazed party, at his own house, at a doctor’s waiting room, and even at the room of a newly befriended girl. The girl in question, Sam (Natalie Portman), has problems of her own, and is rather overemotional as opposed to Large. Their bond quickly becomes special and unique. Large decides to spend most of his time in NJ with her, though he also hangs out with his professionally stray friend Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) and his idle bud Jesse (Armando Riesco), now rich after his invention of the “silent Velcro”.
Soon it becomes clear that the source of Large’s lifeless existence is his father Gideon (Ian Holm) who, for some reason (later revealed), imposed on him a gradually silencing way of life. But the worst part is, Large has now bought his own drama, and wholly believes he’s unable to experience normal human feelings. Little by little, Sam helps him think differently. This is not really the story of a guy who comes back home, encounters old ghosts, and meets a girl. This is the story of a man who takes an opportunity to step out of himself and live a new life, the one that really belongs to him.
I really liked this movie. The time I saw it, I was so sleepy I never thought I’d be able to get through it, and it was kinda hard at first, but it soon grabbed me and never let go. Same with the other two people I saw it with (we hadn’t slept the night before) .The scattered (if often obvious) bizarre comedy splattered throughout the movie sure helps, but the story is certainly enthralling.
The character of Large is not an attention-grabber, in fact the fact that he’s not is what makes him so interesting, and despite Braff’s tendency to film himself staring at the camera to expose the character’s experience, Large comes off as a very likable guy whose plight is easy to sympathize with. I like the way Braff didn’t overact the character, but on the contrary, played him low-key, even towards the end. I loved his performance, as much as his nice direction and clearly refined visual style.
The strange script never seems formulaic even if, afterwards, it doesn’t seem too revolutionary either. There’s a long section in the film where the three main characters (Large, Sam, and Mark) go to a very special place for a reason then unknown to us. This leads up to the greatest scene in the movie, nicknamed “the scream”, which made me cry, and now constitutes my computer’s wallpaper. What a wonderful moment, a little instant classic, certainly unforgettable, and a perfect catharsis of all that had been said and done. Almost equally moving is the scene that ends with Sam tap-dancing. And what a great way to film it!
Portman’s performance is, as usual, excellent, and Braff sure gave her great exposure. Sarsgaard is also really good, and his character goes from rather unlikable to very endearing.
Special mention goes to Braff’s personal selection of the soundtrack. Every song is amazing and gives the film a very special atmosphere.
Braff, what else have you got?? I’m here waiting anxiously.
“I don't want to waste another moment of my life without you in it.”
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Other reviews of Garden State (2004): Morris
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Review
Garden State
- Director
- Zach Braff
- Year
- 2004
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Thursday, April 21, 2005
After aspiring actor Andrew (Braff) finds out his mother just passed away, he returns home for the services. Little does he know he will face his old demons, especially related to his relationship with his estranged father (Ian Holm). But a ray of light comes in the way of Sam (Natalie Portman), a unique hometown girl with whom he forms a relationship.
If you read the premise and can’t find a single original idea in there then you’re probably right. This sort of movie has been done countless times. But then, what makes this one so special? To tell you the truth, it is difficult to say. I guess it’s simply that it works, it has characters we care about, and it gets us involved. Perhaps it’s also because of the way Braff approaches his material, not so much as a drama, but as a kind of quirky comedy with dramatic moments.
Therein lies one of its small pretensions, but also one of its small pleasures: Garden State sometimes feels overwrought. Things happen that could only come from the writer’s mind, but that don’t seem true in a real-world standard. A doctor with so many diplomas that he puts one in the roof…, that just doesn’t exist and rings false, but on the other hand it does get a laugh. Moments like that which take attention to themselves abound, but for the most part they do what they have to do.
The real pleasure lies in something else though: the characters. Andrew is like a zombie. You could say his heart beats, but inside he is dead. He has issues that I won’t mention here, that have got him to that place. But he has difficulty confronting them. And then comes Sam, a free-spirited, one-of-a-kind soul that injects energy into his life. They immediately bond, albeit not in a romantic way initially. The way their relationship evolves is beautiful and touching. In a way, they complement each other because they are so different, but are looking for the same things deep inside.
As a sight gag, just compare Andrew’s room with Sam’s. See what I mean? And by the way, that whole sequence in Sam’s house for the first time is simply marvelous from start to finish. Garden State is at its best when dealing with this kind of real, human moments.
Oh, and by the way, I had no clue what the title referred to before watching the movie. And I had no clue even after I did! Now I’ve read that New Jersey is called that way by some, but the sense of place in the movie is kind of ambiguous.
My love for Natalie Portman is immense. She is such a good, natural actress. George Lucas should be ashamed of himself for having muted all that from her in his movies. But here Braff knows what to do with her and boy does it pay off. She’s simply marvelous, magnetic, bursting with energy. I just loved her character and her performance. Braff also does a good job in the lead. And Peter Sarsgaard’s appearance in a minor role is a pleasure as is always the case with him
Never mind that the movie is sometimes uncomfortably edited, Braff is a talent to watch for. He certainly made a solid debut.
“I don’t want to waste another moment of my life without you in it.”
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Other reviews of Garden State (2004): Groucho
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