Zach Braff has some good acting chops, and he’s written a story that plays to his strengths. I like “Scrubs”, it’s one of the few shows that I watch on television, and the reason is largely the guy who plays Dr. Cox and Zach Braff, who brings humility and distinction to the “any man” role.
 
Here, he subdues himself quite a bit, and makes what is essentially an ensemble comedy revolving around the story of his romance and coming to terms with the death of his mother. It’s also a lithium story, the story of getting off of the American drug culture and into the realm of personal responsibility.
 
It’s also a comedy, but not one of those laugh out loud kind of comedy, more of the musing irony kind of comedy. There are few blatant jokes, but there is a sense of cynicism, much like the humor present in a lot of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
 
It’s a great love story. Rarely do I buy an onscreen love, and yet there is enough time and effort spent into the writing with Portman that Braff pulls it off.
 
And frankly, I’ve never been a huge fan of Natalie, but here, for the first time in my opinion, she really pulls off a believable, human role, as opposed to the fetishized woman she usually plays in the movies I’ve seen her in.
 
The cinematography, also, is just incredible. There is not a shot in this movie that doesn’t shine. If you like the well taken picture, this is a great movie for you.

There is too much obvious, posited humor for the sake of humor, and it drags the film down from being something great. It was so close, but the humor takes from the cohesion. There is character motion, memorable ideas, but nothing really sticks out from the normal loving, coming-of-age story save the truly well-written romance between Braff and Portman. You can’t get into the lithium story, and I know people on lithium, there are issues like this, but unlike the romance, the lithium storyline wasn’t made relatable to the audience. I’ve been around paraplegics as well, bad jobs, and people who are doing nothing in their life, but just showing them is not enough to make them relatable. If the whole movie had been more like the depiction of the humanity of Braff and Portman, the other characters would have been much more distinctive.

All of that said, this is still a fine film. Not BUY IT good, but definitely worth a watch, as close to good as you’re going to get generally with a romantic comedy, and the cinematography alone makes it worth a watch. Great features, good commentary, and Braff, he’s a great actor. I would watch this, heck, I did, and I don’t want my time back. That’s pretty rare. I’d buy this movie on sale.

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