Garden State

This is the first feature for writer/director/actor Zach Braff, and its one of those terrific American indie films that make you fall in love with cinema all over again. Set in New Jersey Garden State is a contemporary tale about a young man making peace with himself and his existence. Writer, director and star Braff proves that he is much more than a \'cool young thing\' from a cool young TV show. He plays Andrew Largeman, or \'Large\', a wannabe actor who journeys home to face the funeral of his disabled mother. Large hooks up with old friends, makes a new one, and, is trying to get off the anti-depressants that have made him sleepwalk through most of his life.

Garden State is littered with interesting characters and acutely crafted performances by a great cast that includes Ian Holm (Lord of the Rings) as Large\'s dispassionate father Gideon, a psychiatrist who keeps his son in \'tranqs\'. Peter Sarsgard (Boys Don?t Cry, Kinsey) is Mark, Large\'s now lapsed best friend from high school, a fellow who has lowered the bar of expectation in order to avoid disappointment. Then theres Natalie Portman (Anywhere But Here, Star Wars Eps I & II) who plays Sam, Large\'s possible new love-interest if he\'ll just surrender to it. Comedy actress Jean Smart (Snow Day) also makes a blinder of a cameo as Carol, Mark\'s laissez-faire, dope-smoking mum who can\'t quite understand why her grown up boy is such an under-achiever?

With its dark, ironic humour Garden State starts off like Hal Ashby\'s Harold and Maude (1971) but, surprisingly and wonderfully, ends up a full-blown dialogue driven drama, not unlike Richard Linklater\'s twin love-talk fests Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004). Garden State is full of heart. It is a poetic, \'talkie\' filled with beautifully written scenes, perfect-imperfect characters and intense personal revelations. And it just keeps surprising - an authentic emotional honesty drives this film all the way as does its graceful cinematic style. (And a cool music soundtrack that includes The Shins) Such a gentle piece of work it is, Garden State spoke to me in a way that only a small handful of American films have of late, which makes me confident in saying that writer/director/actor Zach Braff is absolutely one to watch.