Garden State (2004)
Garden State - a Braff a minute!
Starring: |
Zach Braff |
Released By: |
Fox Searchlight Pictures |
Released In: |
2004 |
Rated: |
R |
Reviewed By: |
Adam Mast |
Grade: |
B- |
Garden State was written and directed by the affable Zach Braff from the television show Scrubs. He now enters the feature film arena with an offering that is surprisingly confident and entertaining.
In the dramedy, Braff plays Andrew Largeman, a man who has returned to his hometown to attend the funeral of his mother. He hasn't been to his old stomping ground in quite some time, but finds that not much has changed. Sure, one of his old buddies has become a millionaire thanks to a clever invention, but this hasn't changed who he is in the slightest. Yes, everything is all too familiar, including some unresolved tension between he and his father (played by Ian Holm). Upon reconnecting with his old friends, Largeman makes a new acquaintance in the form of a young, tale-telling woman (played by Natalie Portman). Slowly, the two begin to fall for each other.
Braff plays Largeman with a good deal more restraint than his TV personae, and his dry sense of humor and deadpan delivery is on target much of the time. He isn't, however, always equal to the dramatic scenes, he has fashioned for himself. The big confrontational moments between him and Ian Holm aren't quite as affecting as they aspire to be. Still, Braff does have a natural screen presence and this is a side of him we haven't seen on Scrubs.
Natalie Portman is absolutely radiant as the young woman of Largeman's affection. She positively glows here in a turn that is energetic and sincere. Her character is a bit taxing in the early goings, but I completely warmed up to her, and by the end of the picture, it was clear that Portman had taken the concept of the love-interest and re-invented it.
Braff's screenplay is observant and witty, but he has difficulty juggling the comedic moments with the film's pathos. Mixing drama and comedy is no easy task. Some films are able to pull it off (such as Sundance 2003 fave Pieces of April), but Garden State doesn't quite get there. And this picture tends to meander as well. There is a far-too-lengthy sequence in which Braff, Portman and Peter Sarsgaard set off on a little journey that would have been far more satisfactory had it been edited down to five minutes.
As it stands, Garden State has some terrific moments, and any movie that can make a climactic "rendeveous at the airport" scene work without causing the experienced movie-goer to roll their eyes, is to be praised. With fine acting and writing, Zach Braff has fashioned a competent first effort that, while not perfect, shows true potential for the Scrubs co-star. Garden State could have been tightened but it has plenty to recommend it.
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