An apathetic young man returns home for his mother's funeral, and discovers that being numb is worse than feeling pain.

Rating: 10/10 (5 September 2005)

The beauty of this film is that it's stylish without being slick, managing to deal with heavy themes without leaving you feeling submerged.
The main character is Andrew Largeman, played by Zach Braff. Andrew has the potential to have a great life. He's attractive and he's gained modest success as an actor. Yet he lives a dull, loveless L.A. existence working at a menial job while waiting for his next big role.
Sound grim? Like this movie itself shows us, it's not the situation but how we look at it. When his mother suddenly dies, Andrew has to face an awkward situation where the thing he dreads most,emotion,threatens to overwhelm him. He's forced to return to his hometown for her funeral, which he hasn't visited in ten years. He avoids his father in favor of reconnecting with past friends, the personalities of which range from zany to sterile. Most outstanding to Andrew is a love interest named Samantha, or Sam, who helps him confront his fears and awaken to new possibilities.The dialogue and actions of the cast provide some of the most rewarding comic moments I've seen since There's Something About Mary. Yet this is no farce. This movie is thick with meaning, but it's served on the side instead of square on the plate.
As with any movie that's true to the contemporary Hollywood and slacker lifestyle, as explored in this movie, there are a few clichés. These include some drugs and a hot, unconventional leading-female. Director and writer Zach Braff (of TV's Scrubs) embrace these elements with original angles to keep us from getting deja vu while watching it. This film is best suited to Gen-X and Y'ers who can still see things from new perspectives.