Review of Garden State (2004) by Doctor S — 05 Mar 2011

VERY low-key seriocomedy written & directed by 'Scrubs' star Zach Braff. Middle section is the strongest, I only got into the style of humor when Andrew Largeman (Braff) admits himself to the hospital for tests covered in smut written on his body by his friends during the party the night before. That just made me laugh. Until then, the extremely languid pacing seemed to suck the life out of the quirks, leaving many gags to fall flat.

When entering the hospital, we meet Garden State's brightest spot in Natalie Portman as a bubbly oddball named Samantha who copes with epilepsy. There are many thoughtful, weighty contemplations between the characters with long takes, sometimes 2 minutes without a cut. Braff shows greater skill as a writer than director, striving for a Ghost World environment. He includes some clever & amusing touches, like a psychiatrist whose wall is so filled with diplomas and certificates of merit that he has to nail one to the ceiling. Some tightening of the material and a more animated pacing would've improved the result, but still a worthy first feature for the man best known as J.D.