Through our beloved NetFlix, we watched "Garden State" last night and "Crash" about a week ago.
"Garden State" [link has sound] is the independent film brainchild of Zach Braff, the goofy star of NBC's "Scrubs." He wrote, directed and starred in the film. It depicts four days in the life of Andrew Largeman as he travels home to New Jersey to attend his estranged mother's funeral. While at home, he meets old high school friends and the thoroughly captivating Sam, played by Natalie Portman. This film has the feeling of an odyssey or a picaresque with a lot of heart. Natalie Portman is charming and sweet and smart. Braff is low key and funny and smart. There are many sight gags which garnered laughs out loud in our home. It's not a comedy, but it has funny parts. It's not a love story, but there's a romance. It's not a tragedy, but there are tragic parts. In short, it's quite a different and very likeable film. It's rated R for raunchy language. Not violent and no explicit sex. It has an interesting and good soundtrack. Refreshing and different.
"Crash" recently won the Oscar for Best Picture. I didn't see any of the others in the crop this year [like the vast majority of Americans]. But if that was the best, I wonder what the runners-up looked like. The film is set in present day Los Angeles and it unfolds non-sequentially, similar to the better film "Pulp Fiction." The film is about several lives which all intersect and variously interact within about 24 hours. Many celebrities appear in the film. Its theme is racism and the impact of racism on the lives of the characters. I found it interesting, sometimes confusing and frustrating, but ultimately so-so. I thought about the obvious bad guy, an LA cop played by Matt Dillon who is an unabashed bigot. I also thought a lot about Ryan Phillipe's rookie cop character. The rest of the story seemed forced and inauthentic. Sandra Bullock plays the wife of District Attorney Brendan Frasier as she struggles with the aftermath of being a carjack victim. It's all very interesting, but it didn't amount to much. Worth watching, but you won't be rewatching it in ten years.
DFC Update:
15 years ago
4 comments:
I saw Garden State about a year ago, but I didn't enjoy it. The language was too much for me and I found the storyline (and the characters) difficult to become involved in.
Haven't seen Crash, but I DID see Walk the Line tonight, another of this year's nominees. Pretty good, I think. Still need to see Crash, Goodnight and Good Luck, and Brokeback Mountain. But that's for another weekend!
Navybride: I think the appeal for me is due to my age. At your age, I wouldn't have found it so good. The sight gags throughout are lovely comic touches though, don't you think?
This reminds me of the quirkiness of "Napolean Dynamite" which I also liked.
You?
Believe it or not, I haven't seen Napoleon Dynamite. However, my 10 year olds swear that I'm missing out on something great...so between their recommendations and yours, I guess that will have to be my next rent!
;)
ruth...we loved garden state...smart film with witty dialogue...some of the characters were rogues, but even then they were lovable...
napolean is an acquired taste...i loved it from the minute he tossed the gi joe out the school bus window...nicki didn't get it...
peath. out.
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