Hot Chick: Natalie Portman

Hot Chick Factor: 10

Synopsis -- A overmedicated young actor comes home to New Jersey to attend a funeral and spends a lot of time staring straight ahead amidst a constant fervor of activity! Wackiness and self-discovery ensues.

Short declaratory phrase in an attempt to get quoted in TV trailer, ad, or cover box --

"'Garden State' will make you want to do drugs and make out with strange women, then have one of those 'please don't ask me your name' waves of fear wash over you the next morning! Fun for the whole family."

Nate's review:

All kidding aside (right), I really enjoyed this movie, for the simple reason that pulling off a character-driven story like this with what seems like relative ease on Braff's part is quite difficult. But this movie immediately gets you into the head of the character in an almost Expressionist vein (made me want to go out and bowl a game or two in my sleep), and seeing the world through the drug-induced haziness of his personal paradigm is quite interesting right off the bat. Some critics are saying that they detect a certain degree of narcissism in the way Braff puts himself in the center of the frame (and also frequently with the longer lenses so everything else in the shot is out of focus, forcing your concentration on the subject); I didn't feel this was some form of personal gratification, but rather an expressionist device mirrored by Vittorio De Sica brilliantly in "Umberto D." Braff is obviously no De Sica, but then again, I'm no Ebert. I'm sure some of his personal experiences as an actor (i.e. everybody trying to sell him a script and what-not) come into play, but it works. At any rate, the quirky way the world moves around the character is really hilarious, and I really felt like the whole audience was connected to the film, which is no small task, especially in a theater full of people that are seeing the movie for free. Natalie Portman (yowza!) was perfect for the role of the charmingly eccentric love interest, as was that one guy and his mom and the other guy and the rich guy, etc., suffice to say, casting kicked ass. One of my favorite lines: "Someone's been pissing on my GameCube, and I'm about to crack the case." Awesome. Great Job Zach, and can I be in your next movie? I've got a great idea for a script...

Jason's review:

Jason has yet to review this film.

Ryan's review:

Ryan has yet to review this film.

Tim's review:

Tim has yet to review this film. Whatever!

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