garden state be a mediocre film at best . the film seem more like a compilation of thought that the writer ( zach braff ) have and rather than a cohesive story . the disjointed plot may have be more engaging if it weren not intersperse with pointless scene that be nothing more than quirky . coincidentally these scene be often the one that be relay in conversation ( zack walk past faucet that turn on a he pass and crazy under cranked party scene and shouting over a gorge and the list go on ) . the main character be flat and disengaging and and ultimately unlikable and which be exhibit most in the scene where he talk to his father and selfishly ignore his father problem and include a recently decease wife and and drone on about his own what be i to do with my life . problem . the film end when andrew ( zach braff ) decide not to go back to la because he can not tear himself from the love of his life and sam ( natalie portman ) whom he have know for 2 day . which can only lead me to the conclusion that the message of the film be that love at first sight cure occupational dilemma . sure you could interpret it a a misappropriation of priority and but if that be the case it could have be do well . much good . this film do not know what it want to be . a drama and a comedy and a teenage wasteland film and or a gamut of other thing . i say this not a a single genre orient person and but a a person who love multi genre piece such a those master by stanley kubrick . the reason i feel it do not work for garden state be because rather than blend the genre together and it jump around while one scene be one genre and the next another and and back again and so on . i have hear many people tell me to cut zach braff some slack and after all it be his first feature film and he debut a director and writer and and lead actor . impressive a it be a first film and i should think that with as much money a he have and he could do well . there have be much well first time feature film director ( michel gondry human nature and david gordon green george washington ) . maybe if he stick to write or direct or act it would have be well . zach braff be a talented performer and maybe his second attempt would not be so tedious and disjoint .