An impressive debut from Zach Braff

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2011)

"Garden State" concerns Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff), a young man who returns home for his mother's funeral after a long estrangement from his family. Medicated into numbness, he soon meets the carefree Sam (Natalie Portman) who causes him to re-examine his life.
Granted, the premise is pretty simplistic and the supposed profundity is somewhat tiring but Braff somehow manages to make the film palatable. Despite very little happening plotwise, the script draws us in with deft characterization.
Bringing those characters to life are a cast of capable actors. Braff does a good job, as does Portman, and their chemistry together is considerable. Peter Sarsgaard stands out in support while the rest of the cast is up to snuff as well.
Braff's first-time direction is impressive and features a plethora of attractive visuals. His soundtrack selections drew high praise as well, and rightly so. While one could argue that the selections reek of hipness they nevertheless attest to a discerning ear.
Ultimately, I found "Garden State" to be a little insubstantial but I guess it's really a mood piece that harks back to character-driven films of the seventies like "Five Easy Pieces". It's entertaining in it's own way but certainly not as profound as Braff intended.