Catchy one-liners try to fill gaps of cohesion

Rating: 4/10 (10 April 2006)

When Garden State first came out, I'd heard more rave reviews of it than any other movie in a long time. Out of sheer coincidence, I had not gotten the chance to see it until it was out of theaters. Nevertheless, from what I'd heard, this was a stand-alone movie that could move even the hardest heart no matter where it is shown. Unfortunately, a big screen and booming sound certainly would have helped conceal the script.
A little philosophy goes a long way, but a lot of it is like getting hit with a truck, and I suppose there are a lot of masochists out there. Don't get me wrong - I thirst for a good idealistic romp through life, but when I tilted my head and opened my mouth for what Garden State had to offer, it drowned me in a gallon of detached philosophy. I say detached because that's the best way to describe 100 catchy quotes without any substance other than their 'feel-good' value.
A good, deep discussion about life can be invaluable when called for, but when our characters are placed in situation after situation of lengthy musings about the philosophies of being alive... can't they have realistic dialog for just two seconds? Perhaps if the plot were less realistic, the fickle proverbs could be taken for what they are: one-liners. But under the expectation of realistic characters in real-life situations (no matter how unique), Garden State's philosophy has all he subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face.
The movie's theme is a strong one, however. A lost young man in the prime of his life, is faced with daunting obstacles that block his path to self-discovery and thus paradise. Only can a journey through the unfamiliar and threatening world around him bring peace to his soul. If the plot is still refreshing, you may not be familiar with Dante's trilogy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. This new remake on the classic Divine Comedy is well adapted, but perhaps it should have also adapted today's standards of writing. Dante wrote for politics and societal commentary; movies must also entertain, and without any substance behind the pseudo-intellectualism, I'd rather visit academia myself.
Garden State is a well produced movie, with fantastic acting and a refreshing story to fuel its intentions. It could just have delivered its message in an envelope, rather than jumping out of a cake.