Garden State (2004)

Garden State, by Griz Bear Man

First, what can I say about Natalie Portman and her shining performance in this film? She turns in a spirited, energetic, quirky, and very genuine performance--her odd character Sam seems about as much like a real-life person as you can get. (Unfortunately, she also wastes a brilliant performance in Closer, a film so jaded, pointless, and depraved that, while I retain respect for her talents, I seriously question her professional judgment for appearing in this loser of a film) Actually, all the acting performances in Garden State bring Ms. Portman's kind of genuineness and honesty. The result is a truly great film about a emotionally lifeless young man who learns to embrace life, again, in all its variety and tumult, and find friendship and love.

While Zach Braff, as writer, director, and lead actor in the film, is a Mr. Do-It-All, this is not because he is on an ego trip but because of his deep belief in the project, which comes through on every turn with the artistry and integrity he brings to it. Simply put, he excels in all three roles--so why should he not direct and act as well as write the script?

The interesting thing about Garden State that I have observed is how the film has been the mind-blower for a whole new generation of young people that The Graduate was for an earlier generation of young people. Indeed, the film shares some elements in common with The Graduate--the coming of age story of a lost young man, the use of Simon and Garfunkle in the sound track, and how both films use basically the same opening shot on an airliner, with the difference being that the Dustin Hoffman character is simply returning home after graduation whereas in Garden State Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) is dreaming he is on an airliner that is riding through a bad storm and maybe going down as he sits without emotion while the rest of the passengers are panic-stricken. This dream sequence is a comment on the emotional numbness of the character at the beginning of the film who has to not only learn to live again but also feel again with the help of his old friend (Peter Sarsgaard) and Sam.

Yet the film is not a retelling of The Graduate or a rip off of it. It is very much its own film and so much like none other. The striking feature of Garden State is its freshness and originality--so much so that for me the film did not sink in right away, and took some getting used to. But when it did sink in, I was floored. It is a story many of us can recognize and identify with because it is so ordinary, yet so extraordinary and so deeply human at the same time. My only disappointment is that Ian Holm as Andrew Largeman's father could not be given a larger role. But this is hardly a weakness if a weakness at all--a much longer scene between father and son was cut from the movie and is well worth watching on the DVD. In fact, I give the special features section of the DVD a strong recommendation as well--you really get a good feel for the artistry and professionalism of Zach Braff and the major cast members.

Finally, I want to call special attention to the outstanding sound track--Zach Braff left no stone unturned in his search for excellence. The sound track is a superb complement to the film and stands alone as a CD that I can recommend almost as highly as the film itself.

Rating: **** four stars out of four (A+) my own personal Oscar--you name it!