A refreshing perspective on life

Rating: 10/10 (23 January 2006)

Zach Braff...
Could the maniacally hilarious doctor from 'Scrubs' in fact be a genius? I reckon so.
In 'Garden State' Zach Braff proves to an entire generation of filmmakers-to-be that there is still hope by writing, directing and starring in nothing less than the pearl of 2004.
He portrays a young man having travelled back to his hometown for his mother's funeral, and catching up with his father and childhood friends. When he meets a girl - Sam - he will become aware of the numbness he has felt during his entire life because of his father, who dealt with his son's distance by prescribing him pills. Could it be a revelation? 'Garden State' offers a refreshing perspective on life, it sends the message that one should enjoy it to the fullest. It's approach is awkward, combining awesome dialogues and one liners ("We're heading up there right after we bury your mom") with a sensationally original story that reasons through the absurd: every life is unique to history, so why pretend we are what we're not in order to conform to society? From a cinematographic point of view, the film is none other than beautiful. Zach Braff remains down to earth, not too pretentious. During the entire movie, he respects a certain symmetry in the frames, and introduces a charming quirkiness to the events in the story (a dozen children crossing the road in a line rather slowly and holding hands; or everybody jumping into a at the same time pool except for him). Braff adds small hints about his reflexions on life in certain shots (the empty but completely white bedroom at the beginning - symbol of early naiveness or immaturity? Or the shirt against wallpaper sequence - an effort to refrain from society's conformity?) The cinematography conveys what the script is trying to prove: seize the awkwardness of life and learn to enjoy the small things.
I read in an interview that Zach Braff was suggested to write about what he knew. So he wrote about what he knew best, his own life and his own way of thinking. And look what happened. 'Garden State' is close to a masterpiece, and has to be an example for people such as myself, trying to make a career in film.
So if you excuse me, I think I will go find a crevasse to scream into.