A diamond in the rough

Rating: 9/10 (9 September 2004)

In a summer that proved to be a great disappointment(Van Helsing, Troy, etc), Garden State provides about two hours of relief. It's fresh, original, and full of odd yet brilliant humor. The movie succeeds mainly due to two factors: the writing and the performances. The movie stars Peter Saarsguard, Natalie Portman, and Zachary Braff. Personally, I've always been a big fan of Saarguard, especially after his appearances in the Salton Sea and Shattered Glass. He continues to shine in Garden State, and one can only hope that it will lead to more roles for the widely underrated talent. Natalie Portman steals the show, though, in a role that is far from her role in the latest Star Wars installments(thank god). She has the ability to make you laugh while secretly feeling your heart drop, and her chemistry with Zachary Braff is incredible. As far as Zachary Braff is concerned, his performance is also noteworthy(even if he looks like Ray Ramono), but its his writing that really impressed me. Who knows, maybe he'll join the ranks of Wes Anderson and Charlie Kauffman and continue to make comedies that are different from the rest. It's too early to tell, but for now, check out Garden State, because if it's any indication, Braff may be a force to be reckoned with in the future.