You could be forgiven for thinking that Garden State is something of a vanity project for Zach Braff.

But, while that may be true, Garden State is more-so a movie that showcases the sitcom star's many talents on the big screen, in a high profile movie, for the first time. And justifiably so.

Braff plays Andrew Largeman, a 20-something 'actor' with a dependence on Prozac, Xanax and various other mood-altering drugs, who returns to his sleepy home town for the first time in a decade after the death of his wheelchair-bound mother.

And as far as the story goes, that is pretty much it.

On his return, Largeman mixes with his old buddies – who have since become the local gravediggers – and hooks up with Natalie Portman's Sam, a sweet young girl who immediately makes an impact on the 'emotionally numb' Largeman, despite being a compulsive liar who has a penchant for looking after hamsters.

But even though he just mills around his hometown for a few days doing very little, Garden State is never tedious. Indeed, the quality of the script and the earnest performances from a quality cast make this a surprisingly engaging affair.

Sure, you may be wondering where the hell all this is leading, but it doesn't detract from the comedy which ranges from excellent visual gags to sparkling dialogue, and very rarely do any of the jokes fall flat.

And it ultimately does provide you with a reason for watching as the character arcs are as well written as in any romantic comedy, although it seems somewhat unfair to tag this movie with a label more suited to floppy Hugh Grant-style tat.

Garden State is a downbeat yet uplifting comedy that will make a perfect date movie, because when you enjoy watching two central performances as much as you will enjoy Braff's and Portman's, the final reel will be all the more emotional for it.

Richard Phippen