ANDREW 'Large' Largeman (Zach Braff) moved 3,000 miles across the country to sunny LA to pursue his dreams of stardom and to escape his domineering psychiatrist father, Gideon (Ian Holm).

Nine years after deserting the family nest, Large is a moderately successful television actor who has attained minor celebrity status.

He shuffles through life in a lithium-induced daze, popping pills to keep the harsh realities of the world at bay. But when his mother commits suicide Large returns home for the funeral.

Compelled to stop taking his medication Large experiences the curious ebb and flow of hometown life.

Garden State marks the directorial and screenwriting debut of actor Braff, best known as Dr John 'JD' Dorian on the hit medical sitcom Scrubs.

This is an exquisite first effort; a smart, funny and bittersweet love story in which events unfold at a deceptively gentle pace.

The script is beautifully structured and Braff really gets under the skins of his characters. Truly delightful.

Rating 10/10