"Garden State" of mind
Lauren Thomas, staff writer

Zach Braff of NBC’s “Scrubs” shows off his skills as both writer and director of “Garden State.”

The story is of Andrew Largeman, played by Zach Braff, who spent almost all of his life in a Lithium-induced emotional purgatory. He is living in Los Angeles and working as an actor. After the death of his mother, “Large,” as his friends know him, returns home to New Jersey and leaves his medication behind.

While home for the first time in nine years, he runs in to some of his high school friends. Among them a jewelry stealing gravedigger, a knight at a Medieval Times restaurant, and the inventor of silent Velcro.

He spends his time in New Jersey with his friends going to parties and trying to avoid his father. Large’s father, played by Ian Holm, is a psychiatrist who put him on the Lithium to control him when he was nine.

While getting his head examined for headaches, he meets Sam, played by Natalie Portman, who inspires Large with her joy of life and makes him look at the world in a whole new way.
The stay in New Jersey and his detoxification from the Lithium make Largeman wake up the world.

Garden State is a wonderful mix of humor and drama, and the cinematography is exemplary. The soundtrack, hand picked by Zach Braff, features The Shins, Frou Frou, Coldplay, Simon and Garfunkle, among other great artists. The soundtrack is the thread of the movie, as any soundtrack should be.

Braff even worked in a cameo by Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan.

Andrew Largeman’s journey home and his discovery of how beautiful life is made me want to find my own adventure.

I hope Braff’s highly talented writing and directing is an indication of what is to come for movies.
I would give this movie a solid nine out of 10. No movie can be perfect, but this one comes close in my opinion.