Garden State Review
by Jon Ridge (the_abyss AT attbi DOT com)June 28th, 2004
Having watched the teaser trailer for Zach Braff's GARDEN STATE an embarassing number of times, I expected the worse. A good or even decent coming attractions preview (and, this one is stellar) usually precedes disaster. What a relief, then, to find such an odd, funny, edgy, somewhat stilted at times but genuinely endearing piece of work. Largeman (Braff) heads home after 9 years to attend his mother's funeral. Everybody recognizes him as that guy who played a retarded quarterback in that movie. He's been on prescription medication since age 10, for reasons later divulged, and things kind of just happen to him: ecstacy parties, grave robbery, a humping dog (don't ask). But, along comes a girl to make him re-evaluate his life... yada yada.
The best things about GARDEN STATE are its direction and writing. This is one assured debut. I like the way images linger, and how the camera starts in close on objects and then soon reveals something else going on entirely. The performances are effective, especially from Braff, whose character's emotional detachment and then slow snapping-out-of-it process is always convincing. And, any Natalie Portman crushes out there (I know I'm not alone) will quickly turn into marriage proposals. You want to take care of this girl, Sam, in all her wierd, adorable eccentricity. Even when the script lets her be a tad too kitschy at times. This is the most winning I've seen Portman at least since BEAUTIFUL GIRLS; her scene with Braff in the rain is a thing of beauty.
The film's one big fault is that it has an ending too many. We already know, without it having to be said, what the final few moments feel it necessary to expound upon. The most unnecessary resolution since Edward Burns suddenly took his girlfriend back in BROTHERS' MCMULLEN.
But, then that Frou Frou song starts up, and all's right with the world, again.
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
