Garden State: 9/10

Rating: 9/10 (15 August 2004)

I have no idea how to start this review. I already know it's going to be hard to write, because other movies that have affected me in this way are always hard to write. Garden State hit home (not literally, although I do live close by in Philadelphia) in a way that's impossible for words. But, I'll try to say why it's such a great movie, and not exactly this year's Lost in Translation, but pretty close.
Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) is a mildly successful actor in Hollywood (but not successful enough that he can quit waiting tables) who returns to the title state, his home state, when he finds out that his mom has just died. He returns for the first time in nine years and meets old friends and new ones, including Sam (Natalie Portman). He realizes how weird his family is, as he also goes on a personal journey.
As I was watching Garden State, I was reminded mostly of The Royal Tenenbaums, with not only the odd occurences, but the eclectic soundtrack, which, when paired up the often beautiful images that the film creates, turns into some of the most poignant and spectacular movie scenes of recent memory. One such scene in Garden State is when Andrew, Sam, and Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) are standing the rain, screaming, as Simon and Garfunkel's "Only Living Boy in New York" plays. It's a beautiful song, combined with a great image, which makes it all the more memorable. The movie's full of odd moments that hit you at home, with the odd cinematography, the too-real-it-can't-be-scripted dialogue (from Braff, who also directed), and the whole plot. The quirky atmosphere obviously won't appeal to everyone, but it never does.
That's why it's so hard to talk about movies like this. It's quirky but not head-scratching (so it's not something like Eraserhead), and it leaves you feeling both happy and sad, and a feeling of contentment as you connect with the characters and go through what they're going through. That's the only reason Garden State doesn't get a perfect score. As the movie winds down, the quirkiness starts to go away and the movie becomes partially normal-something I normally wouldn't have minded, but since the movie played quirky, the change isn't welcomed. But other than that, this movie excels at being odd, memorable, and touching all at the same time.
Braff is great in his drugged-up role. I've never watched Scrubs, so I can't judge based on his other performances, but he did a great job, nonetheless. Portman also surprised me with her complex character. It's a tough character to accurately portray. Sarsgaard, the only good part of Shattered Glass, doesn't have enough screen time for the character he was supposed to be, but he was good nonetheless.
The symbolism throughout the movie is basic irony, and irony always works for me in films. Such examples are Andrew's mother dying in the bathtub and the aforementioned "screaming the rain" scene, and the type of car that Andrew drives and the speed in which he drives it. It's small things like that that make Garden State such a good film, and one that I'm sure will be easily watchable for multiple times.
My rating: 9/10
Rated R for language, drug use and a scene of sexuality.