"The Graduate" for a Whole New Generation

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2005)

I've seen this movie a few times (in theaters, alone, with friends) and I can't escape the fact that, while Zack Braff's directorial debut isn't perfect, it offers a fairly perfect viewing experience for a certain kind of person. Witty, moving, urbane and clearly conceived as a labor of love, this film reminds me of nothing so much as Mike Nichols' 1967 "The Graduate", which also offered a protagonist floundering around in adult life against the backdrop of a great soundtrack. People of a certain age or disposition (those in their early-to-mid twenties with a degree or two under their belt with no career in sight, or perhaps those who adore Natalie Portman's indie-girl charm) will probably find that this film resonates deeply, while others may reject it as too odd or exacting in its portrayal of post-adolescent malaise. But for those of you who will love it, "Garden State" makes you believe that someone else does Get It. And any film that makes you feel less alone in the world deserves all the praise and recognition it can get.