Garden State
Picture: B-
Sound: B- Extras: B Film: B-
Scrubs is the hit TV show that has made Zach Braff a
star, but his feature film debut Garden State (2004) will help make him
a household name. The film has received
a ton of critical acclaim, and for a change, some of that is actually well
earned. The story revolves around the
ironically named Andrew Largeman (Braff) coming back home after the death of
his estranged mother. He has his father
(Ian Holm) to also contend with, but the old world he left behind has
transmuted in ways he did and did not expect.
His friends, at least those who have not destroyed all
their brain cells on various drugs, remember him accurately enough, but his
going back home only works so much.
There are complications over his past and why he had to leave his
parents behind. Now 26, he is starting
to think nothing new will happen to him, though the sudden surfacing of
Samantha (Natalie Portman) challenges him on several levels. He likes her and the feeling is mutual, but
there are the landmines of the unknown and still getting reacquainted and
updated on his hometown. Instead of
being about teen angst, this is about post-teen angst, twentysomethings not
finding their ways or dreams and accepting reality, even when they are
medicating themselves legally or illegally.
He film takes risks and succeeds more than it fails, which
is not easy, especially for Braff, who is a first time writer/director, but
this is impressive enough and Braff understands what does and does not work
about his own talents on camera, his persona.
Peter Sarsgaard plays an old friend who represents what he could have
become had he stayed behind and done nothing, a sad echoing of everyone in the
film. As for the title, besides
referring to New Jersey, it figuratively refers to the mindset that everyone is
a bit off, trying to be happy by creating worlds of phony construction, though
that may be too simple. That is not
necessarily some phenomenon restricted to Jersey either. It is still a good start. The film has problems and runs into
conventions eventually, but Braff has made an honest enough film at a time when
most films are so phony and pointless.
If he continues to make big screen films, and stays honest about it, Garden
State could be the beginning of a very important filmmaking career.
The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image looks good for
a current production, shot by cinematographer Lawrence Sher, who delivers some
memorable images and the feel of the home and hometown once lived in. Nice transfer and print, which will offer a
unique demo for any monitor or projector.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 features the Grammy Winning compilation of hits by
Braff and a good new score by Chad Fisher that add a nice layer to the film’s
sense of place. Too bad this is not
here in DTS, but maybe next time.
Extras include eight outtakes with optional commentary, sixteen deleted
scenes that are fairly good, a fine making of featurette that runs just over 27
minutes, a soundtrack promo spot, and two audio commentaries in which Braff
takes part on both. Maybe that’s why
there is no DTS, but they are so good, it is almost worth the sacrifice. They are even a bit better than the film
itself.
- Nicholas Sheffo
