Call the whole thing a mixed bag.
Comment
08/13/04
Garden State (2004)
86
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:181
Fresh:155
Rotten:26
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: Charmingly warm-hearted and quirky.
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) shuffled through life in a lithium-induced coma until his mother's death inspired a vacation from the pills to see what might happen. A moderately successful TV actor... [More]
Starring: Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Ian Holm, Peter Sarsgaard
Director: Zach Braff
Reviews for Garden State
101 - 120 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Sincere, funny and entertaining in a way that not only charms but disarms.
08/13/04
May just be The Graduate for the arrested-development generation.
08/13/04
...a picture that I personally connected with, and one that is likely to be appreciated by most anyone who is still 'searching' for themselves...
08/13/04
The humor tends to lean a little toward the dark side... with an undercurrent of sadness that makes the movie feel more real.
08/13/04
Braff's control of tone, his mastery of image, and feel for creating moments of moments of great sweetness and insight are the qualities of a great film-maker.
08/13/04
A worn rock skipping along a smooth, glassy surface.
08/12/04
Unlike so many movies about everything from falling in love to blowing up asteroids, Garden State actually feels like someone's life unfolding.
08/12/04
Garden State is so full of wit and the genuine heart of characters that you can't help but care about what happens to them.
08/12/04
This comedy works so diligently at being idiosyncratic, it comes off as artificial and forced.
08/12/04
Impeccably cast.
08/12/04
A little gem of a film full of believably offbeat characters and eclectic mood music.
08/12/04
It takes the comic-drama Garden State awhile to take root, but then it quickly grows on you.
08/12/04
Garden State is blazing a new reputation for New Jersey, leaving the Jimmy Hoffa, traffic, and pollution jokes far behind.
08/12/04
I drew traces of Cameron Crowe out of Braff’s gem, from his observant screenplay and witty dialogue to his expert use of gorgeous pop music.
08/12/04
Rookie mistakes abound, but Braff regards his characters with respectful curiosity-- he's too sharply intuitive a filmmaker to wreck his jokes by pounding on them too hard.
08/11/04
Zack Braff works wonders with his spare narrative and funky ensemble.
08/10/04
...Garden State is one of those rare films that manages to speak to an entire generation - much like The Graduate and Fight Club before it.
08/08/04
A strong debut feature from a promising new director.
08/08/04
No review available.
08/07/04
Latest News for Garden State
May 10, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: "28 Weeks Later" and "Georgia Rule" To Battle For #2 Spot
In what must be a first at the box office, an aerobics queen takes on killer zombies in a vicious battle for the silver medal during what no doubt will be another mammoth... More...
August 31, 2006:
Box Office Preview: "Crank" Closes Up Summer Movie Season
The summer movie season comes to an official end with the Labor Day holiday weekend unleashing three new releases plus the national expansion of a fourth. More...
August 14, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: "Talladega Nights" Stays #1, "Step Up" Surprises
Despite a pair of newcomers close behind in its rearview mirror, Will Ferrell's hit comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby finished in first place for the second... More...
March 02, 2006:
Dr. Dorian Prepares for "Open Hearts"
"Scrubs" star Zach Braff, who made quite the impression with his debut movie, "Garden State," has chosen his second directorial project: a remake of the 2003... More...
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