Garden State   

Andrew Largeman: Zach Braff

Sam: Natalie Portman

Mark: Peter Sarsgaard

Gideon Largeman: Ian Holm

Written & Directed by

Zach Braff

One of those friends is Mark (Peter Sarsgaard), a complex gravedigger who mostly relies on scams to earn money.  He seems, however, to have the best idea about who he is among all his peers, and Sarsgaard does a nice job of bringing him to life.  He doesn't make excuses for himself and refuses to rely on anyone else for anything.

Andrew also meets Sam, played brilliantly by Natalie Portman, in the lobby of a neurologist's office, and there is an immediate connection between the two.  In their first few hours together they have conversations about music and family, share a motorcycle ride, and hold a hamster's funeral.  We are able to get an initial sense of how these two very different people are immediately drawn to each other. 

This is a star-making turn for Natalie Portman (if she wasn't one already).  Whenever she's not acting in front of green screens while wearing kabuki makeup, she gives incredible performances, and this is her best role yet.  Sam is confident, emotional, and carefree.  She is able to deal with everything life gives her in her own unique ways and comes out a stronger person because of it.  And after meeting Andrew, her infectious personality begins to rub off on him.  Portman effortlessly creates a character anyone could fall in love with, making it easy to see why Andrew, in fact, does.

Braff is much more restrained and understated as Andrew, and his performance is just as effective.  For example, Andrew's been heavily medicated for so long that a hit of ecstasy at a party has no effect on him while everyone else is bouncing off the walls.  Someone forced to sleepwalk through life isn't going to turn into an animated fool overnight and Braff keeps Andrew's muted persona in check.

The movie is at its best when Andrew and Sam are sharing the screen.  They have great chemistry together as they reveal themselves to each other in ways that not only offer great insight into their personalities, but also effectively convey their developing relationship.  It’s extremely satisfying to see these two likable people grow more and more comfortable with each other over the course of the film.

Garden State does suffer a little from trying to be all things to all people.  It's quirky, original, and inventive, while being familiar, predictable, and formulaic all at the same time.  This results in some incredible and noteworthy scenes tossed together with a few ordinary and trite ones that prevent the film from achieving its lofty goals. 

However, that's not a condemnation of the film (heaven forbid a movie actually aim for something).  It's very good and an excellent debut from writer/director/star Zach Braff.  He demonstrates a good ear for dialogue and shows a sure hand behind the camera using compelling set pieces to establish specific tones and moods.

Sometimes movies grow on you, and I like Garden State more now than I did when I walked out of the theater.  The acting, the dialogue, the strength of the chemistry between Andrew and Sam all stay with me more than the few imperfect steps the movie took.  I'm left with lasting images and lines that still resonate.