A working mother, difficult dying father, funny quirky children, kid-adult brother… and Zach Braff. It’s hard to dislike Braff. He seems to be that annoying voice we all hear in our heads during life’s greatest epiphanies. His first film, Garden State, was one of those films that gave way to the entire indie drama of the 2000s. Unlike Garden State, his new film tries the same kind of heart, but not really with much substance. Of course the soundtrack is great and the performances are beautiful, but really this film lacks entirely on its writing.
Poetic phrases feel forced into scenes, and on leaving the cinema, the film is telling you that the characters have changes and this film is poignant but half an hour later it feels like a very simple film with ‘alternative film’ garnished on top. The story maybe would have been fresh in 2002, but now it just feels like a shadow of all that has come before. The film is fun, but don’t expect it to be as exciting and thoughtful as Garden State.
3 Stars.
In cinemas 11 Sep
