Garden State is stately indeed
Zach Braff's impressive Garden State is certainly a tale of that time in adulthood when you realize that you have truly changed, and perhaps the accompanying feeling that your friends have not. On this level alone, I would recommend the film. What is nice about this film is that it is a more complicated tale of mental health, past mistakes, the birth of love, and ultimately, the ability of people to take charge of their own life. Connie liked it very much, and I was a bit misty-eyed by the end.
The film drew me in with its externalization of the state of being overmedicated. Braff's protagonist Andrew Largeman is doped out of his mind on an anti-depressant cocktail that leaves him numb to the world. The camera shows the world around him zooming by while he languishes in the center of the frame, frozen in his drug haze. He decides upon the occasion of his mother's death to return to New Jersey from California unmedicated. In a scene that is also a study in feeling left behind by the world because of drugs, Largeman smokes a joint and takes a extasy pill while visiting a friend. The camera rolls the world by Largeman, sitting on a couch unable to follow a game of Spin the Bottle, at hyper-speed. Largeman thus trades one drugged state for another, with no change in the overall disassociation of his experience from the world. The removal of this disassociation through actively deciding to love and live life differently is a beautiful message of hope.
The soundtrack, including songs from The Postal Service (and covers), The Shins, and Thievery Corporation, feels like Braff raided my iPod and placed the music perfectly in the film world to accentuate the moods portrayed visually. When sound and image work together so nicely, you have the makings of a great film.
I should also say that Natalie Portman decided to act in her role as Sam, the epileptic pathological liar that wins Largeman's heart. Con and I are both glad to see her play a role that has a little less wooden dialogue than the Star War II crap.
I'm sure Connie has more thoughts on the film. I will just end by saying that I don't think the message is that a depressed person shouldn't take their medication. The story suggests that each person should participate in their own mental health, and that there is no time like the present to do so.
What a timely message for me!
2 Comments:
Like Zack said, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit as well. I felt like it really spoke to me, right down to featuring the soundtrack of my life. Besides what's already been written, I felt like this movie captures a certain time in your life when you're no longer a kid, but don't really feel like an adult. This movie takes that quote attributed to John Lennon, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans," and explores what taking that quote seriously might be like. Largeman has been medicated for a decent portion of his life, and therefore numb to it. As he begins to realize what he's missing out on - even the hard, dirty parts - and in doing so, he takes ownership of his life. Usually, a movie in which an actor writes, stars and directs would strike fear in most moviegoers (Kevin Costner anyone?). But this one is an exception. Braff has a real eye for the camera, and knows how to set up a visually interesting shot. Some of the mise-en-scene is just fascinating to watch. The ending felt a little tacked on and cheesy, but that's okay. Sometimes I like a little cheese.
Anyways, I liked it quite a bit.
By the way, when we researched the soundtrack, we discovered a cover of the Postal Service's "Silhouettes" by the Shins, of all people. It's pretty awesome.
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