My pick for film of the year

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2004)

Auteurism is generally regarded as the theory where a director puts his personalised 'stamp' into a film. What happens though, when a film-maker has only made one film? Can you still recognise their stamp, or does it take more than one film to show this? After seeing Garden State I believe that Zach Braff is the new breed of auteur. Even though this is his directorial debut I can sense his personal presence everywhere, through the script (based on personal experience) to the soundtrack (chosen from his cd collection). Watching this film I combined the two of the lead characters into one and I believe that that is where Braff lies, collides, or maybe somewhere in between. Andrew Largeman (Braff) has been doped up on lithium since he was 11 and hasn't been home to the garden state in 9 years. That is, until his father rings him to ask him to come home for his mothers funeral. It is here that Largeman decides to get off the pills and try to experience some level of emotion, because he hasn't had the chance to feel anything since childhood. Largeman through out the film gives the sense of almost completing monologues to people, explaining what's in his head and why things have changed so much. They are not dialogue in conversation, they are speeches presented to his friends and to the audience. There is a large amount of drug taking in this film, including experimentation at parties with friends, Prescriptions given to you by your shrink father and the more bizarre sharing marijuana with your mother. Through the script Braff has created strange parental relationships and emphasis upon the drug taking experimentation of youth. What is the difference between him and his friends? They all take drugs, only the majority of his are prescribed. Through luck Largeman meets Sam (Natalie Portman) in a waiting room. She is sweet, funny, fun and lies compulsively. She is what brings Largeman and this film to life. Braff uses the character of Sam to make something left of centre in the film world. Her kookiness is something that I feel is an element in him and it is also what makes this feel different to other comedies. While it has a mainstream release on the surface it does not have a mainstream appeal- until Portman breathes in a breath of fresh air and grabs the audience. From her first scene involving talking about the band The Shins, Braff seems to place himself in her (He once described them as 'the coolest band in the world on his weblog) and the film travels from there.
With a fantastic soundtrack of indie bands and with some clever visual jokes Braff has made a film that is touching, sweet and painful all at once. Also with one of the catchiest trailers and soundtracks, I look forward to Braff's next step into auteurism.