Quirky and sweet

Rating: 8/10 (18 October 2004)

When I first saw the commercials for Garden State on TV, I became immediately drawn to it. Even though there was a very vague account of what actually happens in the movie in the actual commercial, I kept wanting to see it. When I finally did, I was pleasantly surprised. Zach Braff has made his directorial debut for this film and it was, I have to say, quite a good job. The visual direction was amazing, adding to the plot line. The script was very well written, and when I actually saw it played out on screen it read like it was an actual story. There's a difference between real and fake and the conversations especially between Natalie Portman and Zach Braff seemed authentic, which also gained it points. Peter Sarsgaard and Ian Holm complimented the film nicely but it was the heartbreaking and sweet scenes between Natalie Portman and Zach Braff that really did it for me. Despite a typical ending, overall I recommend this movie to anyone who has ever felt mentally and emotionally lost in their lives and suddenly find a new direction to go on.