.

Garden State

Natalie Portman, Zach Braff, Ian Holm, Peter Sarsgaard, Jean Smart

Directed by Zach Braff
Rolling Stone: star rating
5 3
Community: star rating
5 3 0
July 27, 2004

You know Zach Braff from TV's Scrubs. But his debut here as a screenwriter and director isn't intended as a sitcom time-killer. With Garden State, Braff wants to show you his version of The Graduate, he wants to stuff his big feelings into one little movie, he wants to change the world. It doesn't totally pull it off, but what strange and marvelous fun to watch him try. Braff as Large, a waiter and wanna-be L.A. actor who returns to his New Jersey home for his mother's funeral. The event prompts Large to drop his Zoloft habit, reconcile with his dad (Ian Holm), hook up with a school buddy (a terrific Peter Sarsgaard) and find the love of his life in a sweet-crazy-sexy, Shins-loving pathological liar named Sam, played by Natalie Portman in a funny and touching performance you shouldn't even try to resist. The same goes for Braff's movie. It's a hilarious and heartfelt ode to twentysomething angst. Braff has himself a winner.

prev
Movie Review Main Next

ADD A COMMENT

Community Guidelines »
loading comments

loading comments...

COMMENTS

Sort by:
    Read More

    Movie Reviews

    More Reviews »
    Daily Newsletter

    Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

    Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
    marketing partners.

    X

    We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

    Song Stories

    “Too Close”

    Next | 1998

    Next was formed in Minneapolis when the uncle of Terry "T-Low" and Raphael "Tweety" Brown, who was a gospel choir director, introduced the brothers to Robert Lavelle "R.L." Huggar. Sounds of Blackness singer Ann Nesby groomed the R&B group before handing them over to Naughty by Nature's KayGee, who wrote and produced "Too Close." The idea for the song was sparked "from a conversation we had with several girls at a nightclub," explained T-Low. "It's talking about the club scene, with guys getting out of hand and the female telling him to back up, asking, 'What are you doing?'" 

    More Song Stories entries »