> I think what
>offends me (though I like braff in general and I LOVE scrubs)
>is that Garden State seemed to me completely shallow and
>devoid of any real message or purpose but it tried real hard
>to pass itself off as arty and insightful.


First off, I really liked the movie. Didn't think I was going to, but I did. However, you're right. It tried a little too hard for the Wes Anderson feel of idiosyncratic and deep, but it missed a little and favored style over substance. But you know what?

IT WAS HIS FIRST MOVIE.

As such, I think that there were enough good things about it to outweigh the bad, and shit, if that was the first movie I'd ever made, I'd be proud of it. I look forward to his next projects, and hope they'll correct some of the flaws of Garden State. But this idea that it has to be perfect out of the box is asinine, unfair, and completely ridiculous. If his 3rd/4th/5th movies are this self-absorbed and "quirky", then talk to me about him then, but as it is now, this dude is hating. Hating hard.