Garden State

Well, it's crawled up to $15,878,904 as of last week, so it probably pulled in another $1.5mil or so over the weekend. Maybe it won't hit $30 million like I had guessed, but it's still been a hit for an "indie" film.

I'm gonna have to see it again sometime, I just don't know when. Maybe I'll take the wife for a weekday show.

I'm glad NP got the official QCH "whipped ass" (TM) seal of approval :xyzthumbs . And I agree with both of you about the quirky dialogue and characters.

As for what the movie means, I think it's just the done before coming of age/human condition plot, but freshly updated. There are a lot of examples of people trying to find happiness and meaning to their lives, and it's odd how it works out sometimes. Take the cop for instance (ex druggie gone power trip). Or, the millionaire. He's rich and just as bored/lost. I can't decide if Zach's buddy is a criticism of the rationalization of getting over on people/the man that a lot of 20 somethings do, or a sort of anti-hero (or both). I do think the movie tells you to grab happiness wherever you can find it, and don't worry about the details, however quirky they may be.

Anyway, aside from Natalie whipping ass as her character (and she made the movie, no doubt about it), how about Zach's character? I really do think that he represented a lot of 20 somethings who might be so desensitized to life and so rudderless that they feel just the way he did on meds. I really think that's what a lot of people who saw the movie identify with. Then Natalie comes along and kicks him in the ass til he wakes up and finds a purpose.

The moral of the story though, is this: if you ever get enough clout in hollywood, make sure to cast yourself in some art-house indie flick that will attract hottie starlets like NP, and then cast them as your love interest. Zach, you SOB, I'm jealous as hell.

Best line of the movie though (easy to miss):

Sam : He's defending me. He's my knight in shining armor.
Largeman : Don't mention knights around Mark, it's a sore subject.
Mark : I'm going to kill that ************.
Largeman : Pun intended?

 

My favorite line was: "You have balls written on your face."

 

I thought he looked like a charicature of John Ritter, but maybe a cross between Ritter and Romano.


Anyway, finally caught this, and it stuck in me enough that I stayed up til 3 to finish it. Shouldn't have. But it was worth it, what I saw of it, and enjoyable. It would've been for the soundtrack if nothing else, since I've been listening to it for the better part of a year.
I dunno. A lot of it was awkward, but I don't know if that was intended. I assume it was, and if so it worked. Plus, who hasn't dated a girl who was as weird as she is attractive?

 

here's the guy i was thinking he looks like...

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/hh/0379114/HH/0379114/dherman118.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Herman,%20David%20(I)

 

Wow, that's dead on, he really does look like a cross between him and Ray Romano. Oh, and David Hermann does a ton of the voices on King of the Hill.

 

Braff is banging/marrying Mandy Moore. I'd nail her to a post if given the chance. And there were some rumors from the GS set that Portman broke him and his then girlfriend up. Say what you want, but he's getting it done in that dept.