What happens when a sitcom star decides to direct? When Zach Braff, star of the refreshingly zinger-based hospital dramedy Scrubs showed up with his own film at the Sundance Film Festival, most filmgoers were sceptical. It's one thing to be a likeable actor on a canned-laughter TV show, but to pull off a self-written film starring oneself, at 29? Hmmm. Fingers wagged dubiously.
After the movie, the same fingers joined forces with the rest of their digit brethren, as critics stood up and applauded wildly. Garden State was heralded one of the sharpest written films, and the emergence of an astonishing new talent. Hyperbole likened Braff to an unlikely cross between Tom Hanks and Mike Nichols, and the plaudits wouldn't stop. Garden State has been called, believe it or not, this generation's Easy Rider, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper's seminal 1969 counterculture film.
Now, after all the hype has died down, the film still works pretty well. Braff stars as Andrew Largeman (always referred to by his last name), a 26-year old wannabe actor waitressing in Los Angeles. Since the age of 10, he's been on some or the other form of lithium and other assorted anti-depressants.
Which explains the first shot: it's the inside of an aircraft, and it looks like it's about to crash. There is pure pandemonium as people scramble for gas masks, and panic rises to the level of hysteria. Largeman sits in a middle seat, seemingly oblivious. The audio track is the pilot's announcement, a muffled Mayday. In the foreground plays a shloka, the Ganesha prayer Vakra tunda maha kaaya chanted for well-being and success. He reaches up above him, and we assume he's calmly reaching for his mask. Not. Largeman tweaks the air conditioner above him, and settles back into his seat.
He wakes up in bed, and we are tantalisingly never quite sure whether that actually happened or was part of his pill-induced dreams. Largeman is alarmingly numb, emotionally. His claim to fame is one starring role in a made-for-television film, and he drudges languorously through his kohl-eyed job at an Oriental restaurant. The film kicks off with his monotone interrupted by the news of his mother's death, which sees him heading back to New Jersey (the Garden State, for those wondering about the title) for her funeral.
Rebelling against his psychiatrist, who disastrously happens to be his father, Largeman decides to quit all medication, cold turkey. The funeral finds him cold and unable to cope with emotion, until he meets the gravediggers. Old school friends, they nonchalantly ignore his bereavement, and invite him to an ecstasy and alcohol fuelled party. Largeman accepts, and his self-proclaimed 'Wingman', Mark (Peter Sarsgaard in yet another superb performance) takes him to meet Jesse, (Armando Riesco) a ditsy billionaire who made his fortune by inventing 'Silent Velcro.'
Largeman meets a girl, an attractive compulsive liar, who thinks a band called The Shins can change your life. Natalie Portman plays Sam in a spirited, irresistible performance. She's a wild girl full of contradictions, but a simple child with basic wants. Largeman falls in love, as does she, something they realise during an insane gift-hunt through their hometown. Led by Mark, they encounter hardware clerks, muddle through swamps and, eventually, kiss in the rain. All is well with the world.
Garden State, on an obvious level, is a definite antithesis, and tribute, to Mike Nichols' The Graduate. Like Dustin Hoffman's Benjamin Braddock, our hero is a disillusioned youth returning home. Unlike the classic film, however, here he finds all he needs. The presence of Simon & Garfunkel on the soundtrack doesn't seem coincidental.
Of course, there are flaws. Sam is a terrific character, but we hardly get to know her, despite her screen-time. The climactic confrontation scene is disappointingly unreal, wrapping up his conflicted past in a slew of wooden dialogue. The end of the film is an almost popcorn cop-out, complete with running through the airport (though again, the Graduate reference ought not be missed). Overall, there are places where the film hems and haws.
But, on the other hand, are the sight gags. Largeman enters a doctor's office, and the wall is so full of framed diplomas and honourary degrees that one is actually pasted to the roof. His aunt presents him a shirt made of the same "gorgeous material" that his mother upholstered the bathroom with, and wants him to try it on at the funeral. And there's a visually perfect scene involving a fuel nozzle that simply has to be seen to be believed. Brilliant.
The writing is interesting, quirky and full of kinks some of which could have been ironed out. Still, the film is full of moments that make you grin embarrassingly wide.
Garden State is a triumph, especially in an era when Hollywood is lamenting the death of original thought.
The extras:
The DVD does well with special features, and starts nicely with the basics. There are two commentary tracks to choose from the first one, with Zach and Portman, is a fun track involving a lot of Portman giggling and some freewheeling conversation, all of which gives the viewer a great idea of who Zach Braff is, and how clearly he thinks. She throws him occasional innuendo, but Braff seems to blush quickly enough, and dodges the subject awkwardly.
The second commentary track features the director with the technical team: director of photography Lawrence Sher, editor Myron Kerstein, and production designer Judy Becker. The three casually detail the creation process, surprising you by how even a seemingly simple shot had a lot of stuff going on.
There are 16 deleted scenes, most of them pretty good. But as you hear the optional commentary track on these scenes, you understand just how much of a good move it was to cut all this stuff out, giving the film a tight, economical feel instead.
There's the traditional half-hour making-of featurette, and most fans of the film will enjoy this unremarkable feature. It's inspiring to see just how the young actor-writer-director put this effort together.
Outtakes and bloopers complete the package, and for a single-DVD package, we're really not complaining.
