You'll feel like you know these people

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2005)

Garden State is a fun little movie where the characters are real which is what makes it funny. I grew up in New Jersey and still run into high school friends who, 18 years later, still haven't really changed. Garden State is touching and funny and cleverly written. Its is also well acted and the characters have depth beyond most characters in a comedy. The only problem I had with it is that Braff tries desperately not to make a "hollywood" film yet he ends up giving us an ending that is text book generic teen movie/romantic comedy. Not that the ending ruins the movie but its a bit annoying that this movie is hailed as a breakthrough change of pace but its ending is anything but. I sat there thinking "in any other movie the ending will be this, I wonder how this one will end. Oh, the same way."