Tiempo de volver

I would give Garden State a 9 out of 10. The only reason I'm not giving it a perfect 10 is b/c it had a slow start. Besides that this movie overwhelmingly surprised me with its directing and acting. Natatlie Portman did an amazing job playing Sam. She really worked the part. Zach Braff's directing debut is stunning. I had never heard of Braff except for his character on the TV show Scrubs. He also did an excellent job acting. There were so many surprising elements thrown out during the movie. Braff just kept piling one thing on top of the next to make the story more interesting as it rolled on. I was very pleased with Garden State!!!!!!!!!11

I first heard about this film from The Shins. James Mercer mentioned this film in an interview and talked about how it raised awareness for the band. I decided to watch this movie only because of this, and I actually thought it was pretty sweet. I like the contrast between Andrew's junkie friends and Sam's innocent, loving family. You can really see how much the colors change from depressing browns and whites to warm reds and yellows. I think Zach Braff did a great job directing the film in that sense. Braff also did a good job playing Andrew. He really portrayed the numb mindlessness of Andrew, and really changed throughout the film. I like how we see Andrew go back to that numb mindless state when he is waiting on the plane after leaving Sam. It really goes to show how much he needs her. Overall, the film was very well made and the soundtrack is gold. I was elated when I heard an acoustic version of "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service playing at one point. I didn't know how versatile Natalie Portman was as an actress until watching this movie She played Sam very well and was one of the highlights for me.

First off, for anyone thinking about seeing this movie, go do it!! No matter what anyone has told you already about the film. I notice a lot of people writing that they didn't like Garden State and that's fine, I personally thought it was excellent. To me it was real life on film, and within that real life there are very different people. Unfortunately not everyone wants to see movies that remind them of reality, and I guess not everybodies reality is the same as mine. Even so Garden State is well worth the watching, if only to remind us that the comatose state most of us live in is only temporary, and the joy of a life well lived is forever.

I really loved this movie. I mean, really. So it surprised me to come here and find it rated so low.

By no means is this a perfect movie. It can be slow or awkward from time to time and there are one or two moments that just don't work. But. By and large I was really impressed.

It's a great little story with just the right balance of comedy and drama, full of quirky characters and interesting performances. Ian Holm demands attention, as always, and Natalie Portman's Sam, while offputting at first, definitely grew on me as she grew into a real character.

But the real story here is Zack Braff. It should surprise no one who has ever watched Scrubs that his performance keeps the movie together; or that he is able to create a jokey, distant, somewhat sarcastic character who also elicits real empathy from the audience and manages to emanate deep wounds. What amazes me is the work he has done here as a first time writer/director.

First off, there is an actual narrative here with meaning and relevance. Too often, the big Hollywood movies will have a plot that resolves itself, but means nothing; on the flip side, independent movies almost seem to disdain plot for mood and thematic concerns. Braff is able to weave both together--a difficult task for a young writer. The dialogue is witty, plot situations intelligent and creative, and overall the writing is just--good.

As for his directing, there are a few odd choices. I'm still not sure I like one scene the main characters are screaming into a deep ravine and the camera sweeps away into said ravine. It just tossed me out of the movie a bit. I'm also not completely sure what to make of the movie's ending, which I won't go into further except to say that I felt it almost changed the focus of the movie up to that point and made it about something else. However, there are moments of absolutely beauty as well, here. The entire scene where Sam and Andrew talk in his friend's pool has some great shots, and Braff's comedic flair and timing are evident in his directing style, which still manages to pull back for the more dramatic and poignant moments.

I urge you to see this movie. It's not a "big" movie. It was never meant to be. But I have little doubt that, once it finds an audience, it will be remembered for years to come. Sort of a modern day Graduate with a more hopeful outlook on life.

I grew up watching this movie in the 2000s, loved it then, and just recently re-watched it for the first time in many years. Definitely feels like a mid 2000s movie. Wow how times have changed. It's still a great movie, whose best scenes are mostly the ones with Peter Sarsgaard. I miss movies like this so much, sad that Hollywood doesn't seem to make them anymore, those introspective arthouse films that defined the teenhood of so many of us growing up in the 2000s.

I just recently got into listening to Hugo Kant's music, that kept reminding me of Garden State, so I had to revisit the movie, and it brought back so many memories of my life back then, what I wanted to do, and how life has just kind of drifted along these past several years.

I long for travel again.