Zach Braff's Garden State Is Actually A Good Movie & Still Worth Watching Today

https://www.looper.com/1237372/zach-braffs-garden-state-is-actually-a-good-movie-still-worth-watching-today/

BY MIKE WORBY/MARCH 23, 2023 4:56 PM EST

Every so often, a movie comes along that is almost universally praised upon its release but sees its reputation change over time. Think "Crash," the movie that seems to say, "Everyone's a racist, and so what?" or "The Notebook," the ultimate love story of a weird stalker and the woman who finally gives in to his demands. Then, of course, there's "Garden State."

The directorial and writing debut from Zach Braff of "Scrubs" fame, the indie-dramedy was and still is beloved by both critics and fans alike. While this might come as a surprise, especially when you consider the absolute trouncing that the movie has received from critics over the last decade, "Garden State" actually has an impressive rating of 86% from the professionals and 88% from your average movie watcher on Rotten Tomatoes.

All the same, many writers have taken to returning to the quirky comedy-drama to give it a swift kicking while it lies peacefully in its nearly two-decade-old slumber. Vice, for one, tore "Garden State" to shreds in its 10-year anniversary piece, while Bustle went one step further, offering a list of reasons to never watch the film again.

With Braff's latest movie "A Good Person," starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman, freshly released, the vultures have returned to feast on the bones of "Garden State," and we're here to tell you why they should close their beaks and fly away for good.