Garden State

Rating: 5/10 (30 December 2004)

26 year old lithium-taking, depressed actor Braff, who has been detached from his family for years, receives word that his estranged mother has passed. He decides to take a small vacation to go back home to New Jersey and attend the funeral and reconcile with his psychiatrist father. Writer-Director Braff has some great ideas, many of which work but the film makes it's points early on and then repeats them throughout. This makes for a fairly whiny film at times. Also, the camera shots are often very centered which quickly becomes gimmicky and distracts the viewer. Luckily, there are enough good moments for it to overcome most of its faults. Subplot about reconnecting with father Holm never quite gels. Braff is charming in the lead, but Portman steals the show as the quirky compulsive-liar Sam.
**1/2 out of ****