The film “Garden State” is an eccentric drama, romance comedy with a slew of complex, innate cast of characters, each deeply entrenched in profound emotional and psychological scars, ascending from the regrets of their past. It is a musing, on finding oneself after years of aimless confusion. Writer/Director Zach Braff, stars as the films main character, Andrew Largeman. In James Berardinelli’s movie review, he said: “Garden State is one of those movies that fails to stay with the viewer for an extended period of time.
It’s a forgettable film featuring a throw-away story with unmemorable characters and unremarkable performances. I must disagree; although “Garden State” can be a bit slow, moody and too subtle for a lot of viewers, the storyline requires you to dig deeper into the subtle undertones and symbolisms depicted throughout the whole film. It’s very intriguing, arousing your thoughts, and that’s what draws you in.
In particular, a simple hug goodbye between Andrew and Sam’s altruistic mother, Andrew and Sam intimately sitting in a bathtub talking about the strife and struggles everyone must deal with in this journey we call life, a nebulous hunt for an item that Andrew ultimately realizes has more sentimental value than he previously thought, a moment of total, untainted liberation at the top of an abandoned gorge, that they call the infinite abyss, arms raised in defiant victory, the power of their euphoric screams, never has to be explained to the viewer.
Dustin Putman’s review concurs, when he said: “Garden State is a beaming unforgettable little masterpiece, creatively alive and emotionally intimate at the same time” (D. Putman) For the most part, the movie is aimed at the twenty-something demographic who will find a strong coalition, that the future is often seen as a bleak, horrific time of confusion and bewilderment. Attempting to discover who you are as a person now, and what you’re going to do with the rest of your life career-wise, is highly confusing and difficult, when you have absolutely no idea how to achieve such a prerequisite.
That very concept is at the core of “Garden State”. Also with the diverse, eclectic cast of characters in this film, many viewers, like myself, will quickly identify themselves to the trials and tribulations in the film, or they will reflect back with a knowing nod, or with a great deal of understanding to each and every one of the characters personality idiosyncrasies, and the deep embedded undertones.
The characters in this film that stand out prominently to myself, as a viewer re, Andrew’s father, Gideon, (Ian Holm), who blames Andrew for the death of the mother of the family, Gideon has numbed him with prescription drugs, confusing his own guilt, for that which he presumes, his son should carry. He now sees Andrew’s few days in town, as a way to reconcile with him. Andrew reunites with his old high school friends, including a bizarre gravedigger named Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) who has found a scheme to make money, by robbing coffins and the deceased of all their last worldly possessions, their jewelry and heirlooms.
Then there’s his friend Tim (Jim Parsons), who must wear full knights armor for his job in fast food. Andrew quickly comes to realize, that no one he has grown up with has found their place or niche in the real world. Andrew then meets Sam (Natalie Portman), in a hospital waiting room, she’s a playful epileptic, and habitual liar, with a warm heart and free-spirited personality. Their relationship paves the way for a revelation: the medications he has been on nearly all his life, has seriously impeded his decision-making and emotions.
Now that he has stopped taking all his prescribed medications, Andrew is shocked to see the world around him with newfound consciousness and coherence. Although revitalized by this newfound freedom, he can’t help but be disturbed by where he stands in his life. In closing, and in my own opinion, the movie is definitely a must see. Even though it seems to be aimed at a specific age-related target audience, there are many characters throughout the whole film that viewers can relate to. And that in return keeps you very intrigued, interested, and ultimately, entertained.
As a viewer, the most prolific symbolism in the whole film was the metaphoric infinite abyss. As a viewer, the infinite abyss to me represents life in general, the meaning of life. Life can be a deep dark bottomless pit, you can either succumb to it, and it swallows you up, and takes you down, or you can choose, to stand at the top and scream down at it in defiance, and pave your own paths in life, and fill that abyss with meaning, purpose, friendships, family, happiness and love. When you change the way you view the world, you change everything that happens to you within it. Life is just a state of mind!
