Garden State
Or not? These days peculiar ‘is a genre all its own’ Convention buster “is a convention in itself, and ’surprising’ has become so entrenched technique in a certain kind of movie you only surprised if you’re not surprised! The tone and feel of this film, not to mention the characterization and humor seem to owe much (as another review stated) Hal Ashby.
There are a lot of the centrality Harold and Maude plenty of other places. That’s not bad, of course, if done well. That is.
Not enough sincerity and sense of history and take it with style. It has a bit of stagger the introduction of the character of Natalie Portman, where the feeling they really were trying very hard, also the director and screenwriter could not quite connect with or understand what he wanted from her.
So it comes as an irritant on bowed-mad-PAC, just for a moment that threatens to break the complicity of the audience that a film like this depends, to work well. Ian Holm did not have much to do, but it was so perfect for the movie role and established himself as one of its most memorable.
Nice work if you can get. Despite its occasional oscillations, and perhaps a little self-indulgent excesses, this is a good effort for a first time director, whose talent shines through.


