Garden State (2004)
[ARCHIVE: I think I was a bit too close to the film to write this review. I come off as a mewling fanboy. But I really did think the movie was this good.]
Andrew Largeman has a problem. It's not his acting career, which has had its ups and more-recent downs. It's not his mother's death, bringing him back in his native New Jersey for the first time in nine years. It's not even the micro-migraines, tiny storm-clouds in his head, that he suffers from. Large's problem is his inability to feel happy, sad or... anything at all. But then, being on mood medication for fifteen years can do that to you.
In his directorial debut, Zach Braff (Scrubs' John Dorian), takes us on a ride through the landscape that is/was Large's life. Like a guided tour, we interact with his childhood (his father), his adolescence (his old friend Mark) and his present (love interest Samantha). The quirky nature of New Jersey is amplified by Large's reconnection with his emotional state, resulting in a sometimes unbelievable, often bizarre but always honest film about coming to terms with life. Most people will write this off as art house fodder, and they're right. Braff reaches for subjects not often covered by films and does so without the crutch of scientific absurdities (cough Eternal Sunshine cough). Instead, the lunacy of reality takes center stage. Without explosions.
Cinematically, Garden State is a very strong first try, if not without its kinks. There are beautifully framed shots that take your breath away. Something as innocuous as children holding hands while crossing a street pop out as if works of art. Once or twice the camera is rough, a jerky pan here, an uninspired crosscut there, but quite often it is spot on. The shot lingers long enough on Sam (Portman) and Large's quietly uncomfortable stare to make the audience really crave an answer to what, exactly what is it that silences them so? The forthcoming payoff is that much more hilarious.
Best known for a comedic role, Braff delivers a superb performance, conveying his lines with a subtle nuance that brings meaning to even the most neutral looking of expressions. I's a shame that he never really stands out since he's surrounded by such a talented supporting cast. Ian Holm gives a great bit performance as the father, wringing razor sharp bitterness from only a handful of lines. Natalie Portman, as compulsive liar Samantha, is a joy on screen, exhibiting a wide range that is overlooked by other egocentric directors (cough Lucas). She acts like she's happy and you believe it. She tells you she can laugh at herself and you know it's true. But the scene-stealer is Peter Sasgaard, who brings to life Large's chum Mark. Easily an unlikable character, Mark could have been the typical amoral jerk, robbing graves and abusing store-return policy. But Sasgaard plays the role with such confidence and identity that you entirely accept him, faults and all. He might be shady, but he's not a bad person.
If there is a weakness, it is the film's reliance on seemingly disjointed scenes. As was pointed out to me, one can easily feel like one is being subjected to a collection of tenuously related scenes. Only in subsequent viewings can one begin to draw out a cohesive whole to the film. But even if this is true, the initial sense of mellow contentedness of a single viewing is worth it.
Garden State is another one of those quiet small-budget films that might have been overlooked if not for the pedigree of its talent. Yet there are no compromises made; it is what it is. Few movies have straddled the line between art-film direction and high-quality production like Garden State does. Hopefully, it will be remember with the likes of Almost Famous rather than forgotten like Singles.
4.5 (out of 5)
This movie is Rated R
