To place Garden State in any particular genre is to try to fit a square peg into a round hole. The film is pure fun, readying the career of writer/director Zach Braff in the same way Lost in Translation did for Sophia Coppola only a year earlier.
In this quirky, coming-of-age, story you are introduced to Large (Braff), short for Andrew Largeman, as a man living in a world that seems to go on without him. After leaving his home in New Jersey nine years ago, he hasn’t managed to return, as he is a Hollywood man now, working meaningless jobs for a source of income in between small time acting gigs. He continues to pop the pills prescribed by his psychiatrist in order to help him live a “normal” and “happy” life, but that soon comes full circle when he receives a phone call from his father telling him his mother has died.
As he leaves for New Jersey, leaving his medication in the medicine cabinet, he soon finds himself strolling down memory lane and ultimately bumping into a charismatic young lady named Samantha (Portman).
In a matter of days the two grow extremely close and Samantha is not only able to worm her way into Large’s heart she also helps him learn how to cope with a tragic secret in his life on his way to mending the broken relationship with his father.
“Scrubs” star Zach Braff and Natalie Portman are able to create two characters that you thoroughly care for and enjoy seeing the entire film. From the first time Portman’s character is introduced you know she is one to love, cute and warm hearted, there is little not to like.
As far as dramatic story-telling goes this is a great story, adding to that, this is a film that had me laughing more than any film in recent history. The comedy is simple, yet complex enough to define each character from the quirky personality of Samantha to the brooding nature of Mark played by Peter Sarsgaard.
While the ending is a bit cliche and to-be-expected, the movie on a whole is enjoyable through and through and should not be missed as this one is sure to be making a strong run for an Oscar nomination come the end of the year.
