Garden State
Sunday, August 29; Regal Falmouth #3
* * * * (out of 4)
Let’s not fool around. I loved everything about this movie. It just felt right all around. I have no hesitations in saying that Zach Braff has completely aced his first foray into writing and directing, not to mention propelling himself far beyond “Scrubs.” He gathers the perfect cast, makes all his dialogue fit, sets a perfect picture, and balances all the issues almost perfectly. All this combined puts Garden State in stiff competition with Spider-Man 2 and Kill Bill, Vol. 2 for my favorite movie of the year.
After more than ten years, Andrew Largeman (Braff) returns home to New Jersey for his mother’s funeral. Quickly we learn that “Large” is a very troubled man, consistently medicated since the age of 10. He has found moderate success as a television actor, but between his prescriptions and his introverted nature he’s lost touch with any form of emotional attachment. While he’s home, he must try to reconnect with his father (Ian Holm), with whom he’s barely spoken in that decade, try to catch up with friends, and try to recover some semblance of himself. A chance meeting at the doctor’s office with Sam (Natalie Portman) will turn this somber trip home into something much more hopeful.
The love story is the backbone of the movie, but in the first half hour before Portman is introduced, Braff gives us a perfect idea of how lost this guy is. He and his father have nothing to talk about; he holds no interest in the less-than-legal recreations his high-school friends still enjoy; and he shows such disgust at the pharmacy in his medicine cabinet that he embarks on his trip home with none of his prescribed medication. It’s obvious by the way he reacts to anyone that Large is so numb, he can hardly walk without getting in his own way. The way Braff develops this character is perfect. The progression from beginning to end is perfectly natural at every step, and it’s very obvious what – or who – is catalyzing these changes.
The romance is so perfectly built that it really doesn’t matter that it happens over the course of four days. Sam and Large find in each other a type of person the other has never met before, which is precisely what they each need. Portman’s Sam is that type of crazy that anyone can admire – so unconcerned with what the rest of the world thinks of her, but sensitive to the world nonetheless. She pulls Large through a change so remarkable that there’s really no question why he adores her, and her attraction is equally obvious when you consider the type of reaction she probably usually gets from guys who get at all involved in her life.
Technically, the movie feels perfect. Braff’s biggest credit is the dialogue. It sounds exactly right. There’s not anything that feels exaggerated or forced, with credit going to his cast as well. The settings are ideal; a party at a friend’s house actually reminded me instantly of the house of a friend of mine. Braff shoots the whole movie as close to realism as he can; I think I counted one computer effect, and it was only in a transition – an effective one, at that.
Whether you’ve ever felt lost, abandoned, alone, or outnumbered, there is someone here with whom everyone can connect. The love story is beautifully told. It’s the ideal story of that one person who had such a profound effect on your life over such a short amount of time, á la Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. The couple is charming, his friends are perfectly placed, and Sir Ian Holm as his father gives just the right combination of shame and fatherly affection. Zach Braff has proven himself a jack of all trades on his very first attempt, and I personally hope Garden State is the first of many great films. This is a rare, rare gem.
Read more about Garden State straight from the creator: Zach Braff's Garden State Blog.
Sunday, August 29; Regal Falmouth #3
* * * * (out of 4)
Let’s not fool around. I loved everything about this movie. It just felt right all around. I have no hesitations in saying that Zach Braff has completely aced his first foray into writing and directing, not to mention propelling himself far beyond “Scrubs.” He gathers the perfect cast, makes all his dialogue fit, sets a perfect picture, and balances all the issues almost perfectly. All this combined puts Garden State in stiff competition with Spider-Man 2 and Kill Bill, Vol. 2 for my favorite movie of the year.
After more than ten years, Andrew Largeman (Braff) returns home to New Jersey for his mother’s funeral. Quickly we learn that “Large” is a very troubled man, consistently medicated since the age of 10. He has found moderate success as a television actor, but between his prescriptions and his introverted nature he’s lost touch with any form of emotional attachment. While he’s home, he must try to reconnect with his father (Ian Holm), with whom he’s barely spoken in that decade, try to catch up with friends, and try to recover some semblance of himself. A chance meeting at the doctor’s office with Sam (Natalie Portman) will turn this somber trip home into something much more hopeful.
The love story is the backbone of the movie, but in the first half hour before Portman is introduced, Braff gives us a perfect idea of how lost this guy is. He and his father have nothing to talk about; he holds no interest in the less-than-legal recreations his high-school friends still enjoy; and he shows such disgust at the pharmacy in his medicine cabinet that he embarks on his trip home with none of his prescribed medication. It’s obvious by the way he reacts to anyone that Large is so numb, he can hardly walk without getting in his own way. The way Braff develops this character is perfect. The progression from beginning to end is perfectly natural at every step, and it’s very obvious what – or who – is catalyzing these changes.
The romance is so perfectly built that it really doesn’t matter that it happens over the course of four days. Sam and Large find in each other a type of person the other has never met before, which is precisely what they each need. Portman’s Sam is that type of crazy that anyone can admire – so unconcerned with what the rest of the world thinks of her, but sensitive to the world nonetheless. She pulls Large through a change so remarkable that there’s really no question why he adores her, and her attraction is equally obvious when you consider the type of reaction she probably usually gets from guys who get at all involved in her life.
Technically, the movie feels perfect. Braff’s biggest credit is the dialogue. It sounds exactly right. There’s not anything that feels exaggerated or forced, with credit going to his cast as well. The settings are ideal; a party at a friend’s house actually reminded me instantly of the house of a friend of mine. Braff shoots the whole movie as close to realism as he can; I think I counted one computer effect, and it was only in a transition – an effective one, at that.
Whether you’ve ever felt lost, abandoned, alone, or outnumbered, there is someone here with whom everyone can connect. The love story is beautifully told. It’s the ideal story of that one person who had such a profound effect on your life over such a short amount of time, á la Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. The couple is charming, his friends are perfectly placed, and Sir Ian Holm as his father gives just the right combination of shame and fatherly affection. Zach Braff has proven himself a jack of all trades on his very first attempt, and I personally hope Garden State is the first of many great films. This is a rare, rare gem.
Read more about Garden State straight from the creator: Zach Braff's Garden State Blog.
posted by Matt S. at
1:50 AM
2 Comments:
I noticed how many times I used the word "perfect" in this review, and almost went back to change it. But I didn't. I think that should say something.
By
Matt S., at 11:02 PM
A good point. The Garden State soundtrack is full of music that fits the tone and mood of the film very well - again, to Zach Braff's credit, who served as producer on the album. He picked the music as he saw fit, and it works beautifully. I also suspect it will open up some new bands to people who may not have heard them before, like The Shins, Frou Frou, and others. It's an excellent album. Thanks, Wendy, and keep reading!
By
Matt S., at 12:59 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home