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Garden State

pohleonguk

By pohleonguk,
in Film, TV & Radio

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Lovelyman

Lovelyman

Posted
Posted

I watched this last night and thought that it was excellent. The humour worked, the characters were great and the soundtrack was ace too.

I thought it was better than Lost in Translation for those who love to compare the two, but not as good at Eternal Sunshine.

My girlfriend and brother really liked it too. Was a sweet funny movie.

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StephenM

StephenM

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There's a lot of truth in the idea it's better the second time round, I liked it at the cinema but watched the DVD the other week and loved it! Watched it again with the commentary right afterwards - Zach Braff has an unhealthy (or healthy, perhaps...) obsession with Portman...

'Can I just say in this scene you look beautiful?'

'Wow, you look great when you're swimming'

'My beautiful leading lady again'

:) what a guy

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Marzipan Travolta

Marzipan Travolta

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Zach Braff has an unhealthy (or healthy, perhaps...) obsession with Portman...

'Can I just say in this scene you look beautiful?'

'Wow, you look great when you're swimming'

'My beautiful leading lady again'

:) what a guy

They're going out with each other, have been since Garden State. He does well for himself does that JD lad.

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StephenM

StephenM

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Hah I didn't know that, well done. Geeky Jew power!

It's been a Portman-knowledge filled few days, actually! Finding out she is good friends with John Mayer, finding out that she was born in Israel, and now this. Whatever next.

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CrispinG

CrispinG

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Another thing I didn't like!

Towards the end the film it was so Braff-centric (or his character-centric, rather) that I wouldn't have blamed the other characters for telling him to "fuck off", the egocentric prick. The bit where he completely dominates his dad in that argument, after avoiding him throughout the whole film, the bit at the airport where he just rants on and on with portman hanging off his every word, pleading and sobbing... PLEH! Whereas Eternal Sunshine and Lost in Translation are 5 star classic material, this falls short in my opinion.

Interesting criticism, Stu. Wouldn't you say Lost In Translation is an hour and a half of two huge egos indulging each other?

Again, you're not getting Largeman's relationship with his dad, but I've already explained it, and I'm not going to repeat myself.

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  • 1 month later...
Guest

Guest

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Finally got round to watching this and quite enjoyed it. It was like watching an entire film based on the touchy feely last 5 minutes of Scrubs, and also contained a lot of typical Scrubs shots, such as the slow motion walking, time passing him by stuff. Unfortunately, I am a sucker for this kind of film, and the triumverate of this, Lost In Translation and Eternal Sunshine are defintely some of the more piercing and memorable films I have seen in recent times.

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Goose

Goose

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Saw this yesterday and enjoyed it a lot, but couldn't really tell you why. The soundtrack was very well suited to the movie and Braff played the lead role well. Portman was great and the movie really lit up when she was in a scene.

I kept expecting something bad to happen to one of the characters.

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  • 3 weeks later...
descriptor

descriptor

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Haven’t read the thread (excuse me), but I’ve seen the film and it is full of what I can only describe as American wankiness. I’ve recognised this trend from such other films as that Huckabees thing and Sideways, and can only hope it crawls back up whatever hole it came from as soon as fuck.

Thankyou.

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CrispinG

CrispinG

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I Heart Huckabees and Sideways couldn't be further apart. One is trying for some kind of postmodern quirkiness and the other is essentially a 40s classic in modern drag. Was it the wine metaphors? Christ forbid anyone tries to include a little culture in a comedy script.

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StephenM

StephenM

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what I can only describe as American wankiness

I am convinced there must be another way to describe it, because that is the most non-specific thing I have ever heard.

Three totally different films, one equally useless description. I mean Garden State isn't a comedy to any massive degree, it has some gags in for good measure, but it would be a wasted opportunity for Braff not to write himself some jokes! The last time I watched it I realised just how not-comedy it was.

But anyway, yeah, I don't see the american wankiness myself...

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descriptor

descriptor

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Whoa there. In the cold light of day my initial throwaway post seems a bit harsh, and (now that I’ve read it) certainly not in keeping with the rest of the thread. However, I still stand by what I meant.

Of course the three films I mentioned are completely different, but they’re linked in my mind because I saw them all in the same month, they all deal with the human condition and they all left me feeling let down after reading some encouraging reviews which had led me to believe they were going to be my kind of thing.

I am convinced there must be another way to describe it,

Yes, but sadly it’s the best I can do. It’s the same feeling I get when I flick on to an episode of Friends by mistake. I’m not against touchy-feelyness (or culture Crispin!) in general. I love American Beauty, Eternal Sunshine, The Royal Tenenbaums, but I suppose those films dealt with relationships in, as I see it, a more mature way that I could identify with, whereas Mr Braff’s flick did not.

But hey, it’s his first film, and I’m obviously in the minority, so good luck to him.

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  • 5 weeks later...
futureshock

futureshock

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I lost my GS virginity last night.

Warm, spine-tingling and reassuringly settling. Quite where the cynicism in this thread comes from I don't know (or rather, I do, but can't be bothered with) but I'll say that the last movie to make me feel this way was Lost in Translation.

Script-wise it was sharp; the visuals were well-considered (I wanted to lick the screen more than a few times) and the soundtrack was brilliant at times (Iron & Wine! S&G's 'Only Living Boy in New York.' etc etc)

Garden State: a movie that'll make you smile the next day.

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