In a New Jersey State of Mind: Zach Braff makes an audacious debut as a filmmaker; best film of '04; funny, touching and ultimately poignant: You can go home again!

Rating: Null/10 (27 July 2004)

GARDEN STATE (2004) **** Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm, Jean Smart, Ron Leibman, Ann Dowd, Ato Essandoh, Method Man, Denis O' Hare, Debbon Ayer, Alex Burns, Michael Weston, Armando Riesco, Jim Parsons. Actor Zach Braff makes an audacious debut as a filmmaker in this funny, poignant portrayal of a young actor named Andrew Largeman (Braff) whose return from L.A. to New Jersey for a family funeral winds up as a few days of self-discovery thru the haze of his lifelong dependency on anti-depressives administered by his estranged psychiatrist father (Holm) and falling in love with the quirky, epileptic chronic liar Sam (Portman, light years away from Princess Amidala, in arguably her best role to date) while re-connecting with stoner buddy Mark (Sarsgaard, low-key sublimely perfect), a larcenous gravedigger. Witty, heartfelt mix of angst, anomie and  finally  acceptance  of the joys of life amidst death and depression. Has the feel of a novella and echoes of Linklater, Crowe and Nichols (i.e. 'The Graduate') yet its originality is in its comic dryness and self-depreciative protagonist (Braff, who resembles a pastiche of Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld and Garry Shandling, manages to balance the melancholia with barely restrained misplaced anger beautifully) that also dares to reflect authors such as Salinger and Cheever. Braff has a clever eye with camera angles (thanks to the skillful Lawrence Sher) underscoring moments of subtle nuance in capturing absurdity and beauty all at the same time and lets his co-stars shine with moments of both (Portman's scene at her backyard pet cemetery will leave you with a lump in your throat and Braff's embrace with her mom, a tear in your eye). Filmed in Braff's home state  a true metaphor (i.e. the out-of-nowhere abyss sequence)  with familiar touches (the folding chair wedged in the front of Mark's house) and sprinkled with wonderful music (including the ethereal 'Let Go' by Frou Frou (featured in the trailer and my pick for Trailer of '04); exquisite and my vote (so far) for the best film of the year.