A noble failure. A comedy with very few laughs. A movie that doesn't know whether its mocking its philosophies or trying to search for them. Jonathan Mostow brings in a disappointing performance, and Hoffman and his wife character are painfully annoying and also unfunny. There are some good moments, but over all the first half of the movie is very forced. The script is way too noticeable, it almost felt like an exercise for actors rather than an actual movie with real dialogue. If you want to feel cultured or smart for enjoying this movie, go right ahead. I just wish my life was so easy that I could run around trying to answer existential questions like the awful characters in this movie. The movie just tries way too hard and never fully becomes what it wants. Wahlberg and Naomi Watts are highlights and make this movie much more watchable, but alas they still couldn't save the script from itself.
Garden State is a lot more subtle and communicates its ideas visually instead of discussing it out loud using characters who may as well be reading from a texit book.
Garden State is a lot more subtle and communicates its ideas visually instead of discussing it out loud using characters who may as well be reading from a texit book.