<p>Fine film. Helps to be from NJ to capture some of the details but very enjoyable for anyone except maybe the Up With People crowd.</p>
<p>Excellent to hear! It’s next on my Netflix list, and being from Jersey originally, I am truly looking forward to it. (Where you from originally, barrons? Exit 135 here, with family on Brigantine.)</p>
<p>Hunterdon County near I-78/Clinton–the "nice part!!</p>
<p>Whoops–meant to post this on Cafe. Need more coffee.</p>
<p>I just saw “Garden State” this weekend as well. While I’ve lived in New England many years now, I grew up in Ventnor and attended high school in Atlantic City with many kids from Brigantine.</p>
<p>barrons–I lived in Pittstown for a few years, early 70s, haven’t been back. I suppose it’s totally changed?</p>
<p>Wow–one of our favorite drinking spots in that era was the Pittstown Inn. Actually it seems pretty much the same except some fields are now covered with huge houses. I even went to NHRHS. Go Lions
We used to hang out at a place in Clinton called the Daz O Dell. Great hamburger place that is now a McDonald’s. :-(</p>
<p>Ouch, that hurts. We loved Daz O Dell.</p>
<p>Grew up in Plainfield; which reminds me of a NJ story.</p>
<p>Maybe 10 years ago I was giving a presentation to a statewide group of school district administrators about the Federal magnet school program. I began by saying that it was great to be back to the one place in the country that when I said I was going to the shore they knew exactly what I meant.</p>
<p>I tried to get a job one summer at the Leaning Tower of Pizza, but when the owner asked me over the phone how pretty I was, I decided it wasn’t worth it. And of course, watching the metamorphoses of The Flagship was always entertaining. (Jean Shepherd, anyone?)</p>
<p>Now, what was the name of that Mexican food restaurant out there with the “swing room” where the seats were on chains hung from the ceiling? I had my first “Mexican” food there, and wondered why people didn’t get seasick more often…</p>
<p>We are STILL trying to rent Garden State from our pitifully stocked Blockbuster.
The few copies are never available…</p>
<p>H and I both grew up in various NJ locales and still live here…we DESERVE to see this movie!!!</p>
<p>Our son purchased a copy for his new girlfriend for Christmas and we begged him to let us open it, view it, and carefully rewrap it. He, to his credit, refused our request.
Wah.</p>
<p>i thought garden state was a great film - a little over done at times, bt great none the less. the soundtrack was just amazing.</p>
<p>Didn’t the soundtrack just win a Grammy last night…?</p>
<p><<grew up=“” in=“” plainfield;=“” which=“” reminds=“” me=“” of=“” a=“” nj=“” story.=“”>></grew></p>
<p>I grew up on the south end of Scotch Plains, before it got trendy. </p>
<p>Was the mexican place called Tijuana Joe’s? </p>
<p>I liked Garden State but it was darker than I expected. Movies about NJ should be funny. Has everyone seen “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”?</p>
<p>Yo ctnjpamom: believe it or not, that’s where I grew up, too. You aren’t enabled for PMs here or I’d send you my SPFHS graduation info. Get in touch? (I had no idea the south end of SP was “trendy” – do tell?)</p>
<p>mootmom - no clue, didnt watch the grammies… but its an awesome soundtrack ;)</p>
<p>fendergirl, I didn’t watch either, just saw a picture this morning that seemed to indicate that… and sure enough!</p>
<p>Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “Garden State,” Various Artists.</p>
<p>well, it definately earned it’s grammy. it’s gotta be the best soundtrack i’ve heard in awhile.</p>
<p>I rented H&K go to White Castle last week. Pretty silly compared with GS but loved the rapture of the Asian students over I-banking jobs. GS captured a little more of the tacky essence of NJ and the kids that never leave home–live with their parents, etc. I knew these kids including the local cop. Many of the local cops are the semi-delinquents I went to HS with. I also had to fly home from LA to bury a parent when I was 27 so I could relate to that part and did the same making the rounds with some old friends–hitting a party. It’s NJ life.</p>
<p>amazing soundtrack!</p>
<p>in my opinion, the first 20 minutes or so of the movie were amazing, and then it became a rather typical story with a few quirks and a little bit of trying too hard, and at point it completely stopped but definetely picked up again for a nice ending. i still loved it, though. and natalie portman is amazing, as usual.</p>
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<p>IMO, Natalie Portman was amazing in that movie as UNusual. She was pretty wooden as Queen Amadala.</p>