Garden State

Hilariously insightful yet endearingly awkward, this quarter-life-crisis comedy may just be The Graduate for the arrested-development generation. A merrily ironic tale of looming-maturity malaise, triple-threat writer, director, and star Zach Braff's (from NBC's Scrubs) Garden State truly nails the psychological complexity and raised-on-MTV coercion that has pushed the pause button on an entire generation coming to grips with adulthood (those former twentysomethings now trying to extend the age of no responsibilities into their 30s). Braff is vulnerably acerbic as a droll, aimless Everymensch taking two simultaneous big steps in his life: returning home to New Jersey after nine years to attend his mother's funeral, and emerging from a long haze of sense-dulling prescription psychotropics, which has him seeing eccentricity everywhere he looks, including in the derailed lives of old friends. The spectacular cast includes Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm, Jean Smart, and Natalie Portman in an ingenuous performance (as Braff's possible soulmate) that finally delivers on the promise she has always shown in lesser films. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: DVD extras include two audio commentaries (one by writer-director-star Zach Braff and costar Natalie Portman; the other by Braff, cinematographer Lawrence Sher, editor Myron Kerstein, and production designer Judy Becker), 16 deleted scenes with optional commentary, a “making-of” featurette, outtakes/bloopers, a soundtrack spot, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for one of 2004's best.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—May 6, 2014—Fox, 102 min., R, $19.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2004's Garden State features a good transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras are identical to the previous DVD release, including two audio commentaries (one by writer-director-star Zach Braff and costar Natalie Portman; the other by Braff, cinematographer Lawrence Sher, editor Myron Kerstein, and production designer Judy Becker), deleted scenes with optional commentary (31 min.), a “making-of” featurette (28 min.), outtakes/bloopers (4 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: this funny, heartwarming charmer makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]