11 Excellent Movies You Probably Haven’t Seen
9. Garden State
Also starring Peter Sarsgaard and Natalie Portman in this 2004 movie, it shows that no one has to be stuck in any life if they choose something different.
The movie is a semi-autobiographical tale based on Braff’s own experiences growing up in New Jersey.
Braff plays the character of Andrew Largeman, a pill popping, struggling actor who waits tables in a Vietnamese restaurant. After returning to his hometown for his mother’s funeral, Andrew runs into a few of his old friends who are working as gravediggers in the local cemetery.
He meets a beautiful girl named Sam who struggles with her own issues such as epilepsy and an overwhelming impulse to tell lies. Andrew also attempts to repair the strained relationship with his father who works as a psychiatrist and is the one who prescribed medication for Andrew.
The film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival where it was quickly snapped up by Miramax and Fox Searchlight Pictures. Costing only $2.5 million to make, the movie went on to earn more than $35 million worldwide.
