Garden State continues to stick in my head. It’s like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind that way.
Something about it that hadn’t clicked until now is how normal Andrew seems. Even when you discover, towards the end, the improbable backstory behind his drug-numbed life, he never seems that unusual. Shuffling mechanically through a life that barely registers on him, he could be anyone. What is it about modern life that makes it so easy to slip into a waking coma?
By the way, if you haven’t see it yet, and you are wondering whether you should, you should watch the teaser trailer at http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/garden_state/high.html (there are smaller versions available for slower connections). There’s also a full-length trailer available, but I think the teaser, with it’s soundtrack by Frou Frou, conveys the feel of the movie better. If there were an oscar for best movie trailer, that one should be in the running.