Presented in 2.35:1 widescreen to preserve each and every shot the way it should be, this DVD provides decent video, just nothing outstanding. Facial detail is high and clear, but the backgrounds suffer from way too much noise. The critical first meeting between Andy and Sam is almost ruined by walls that seem to be moving. Edge enhancement is noticeable although minimal. Compression is overall under control, though it has trouble in darker scenes. (***)
A lot of this movie is spoken very low, almost in mumbles at times. Not surprisingly then, dialogue can be difficult to hear. Turning it up too loud results in the excellent, hand picked soundtrack to strain the speakers. There are a few nice moments of separation to be had, even a little bit of work for the rears. Again, it's nothing special. (***)
Extras here are few, but excellent in quality. Two commentaries, one with Braff and Portman, the other with Braff and his crew, provide plenty of insight into what went into this film. Yet, by far the best feature is the "Making Of Garden State," an incredibly in-depth half-hour look at how this movie came together. Just about everyone involved gets to speak, even the guy providing the food. It's pretty amazing to see how much trouble they had with that motorcycle.
Sixteen deleted scenes are included, most of which continue to flesh out the characters. One definite keeper was "First Talk" which makes a joke later in the film work a little better. Each of these also includes a Braff commentary as to why it was cut. A short blooper reel is definitely worth watching, if only for the, uh, "dog" scene. The final extras include a soundtrack promo and various trailers for Searchlight Pictures. (****)
Braff worked on this script since he was in college and finally fleshed it out. Made for an estimated $2.5 million, it hauled in $26 million by the time the theatrical run was over. Hopefully it can draw an even bigger audience by word of mouth.
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