Terrific Debut

Rating: 9/10 (30 September 2005)

"Garden State" is an excellent first effort for Zach Braff: personal, textured and authentic. There are really only a couple of scenes (his reconciliation with his father and the soliloquy delivered by Denis O'Hare's character) that feel clunky and too pat. The rest of the film is notable for how realistic it feels --- the characters don't necessarily find their ways to happy endings, but they do come to better endings.
Zach Braff gives a great performance here in addition to his directorial debut. Natalie Portman also shines--there's something so magnetic about her persona, she can walk into a scene and immediately make the movie about her (as she did in "Closer"). And all of the other actors in smaller roles -- Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Hom, Jean Smart -- create memorable characters with the sometimes limited material they're given to work with.
When I was watching the special features on the DVD of "Garden State," the director of photography mentioned how he thought the movie's look and feel are reminiscent of the Hal Ashby movies from the '70's, and I thought this was very astute. Watching "Garden State," I was reminded of "Harold and Maude." It's quirky and goofy like that movie, but it doesn't ever feel forced or like it's trying too hard. One of the best of 2004.
Grade: A