Film Clip: Garden State Wallpaper Scene (Blog 6/6)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o-fUAbIXG0&feature=endscreen

The portion of this clip I wish to consider starts at 7:30 minutes. Zach Braff's character, Andrew, has just returned home after receiving news that his mother has died suddenly. 

The blending of Andrew's body with the wallpaper in this clip visually represents the ambiguity he feels regarding his mother's sudden death. He is heavily medicated and close to feelingless. He stands in front of this leafy wall, his sick mother's last and only spark of interest, and cannot locate himself. As his mother's friend explains, the shirt was made from the same fabric that his mother had chosen. His facial expression clearly shows no interest in the shirt, and he does not even respond to the irony of this reflection. This scene visually depicts his inability to understand his mother's motives. It is later revealed in the film that Andrew believes his mother has killed herself as a result of her handicap, a disability that he regards as his fault. 

The choice of wallpaper represents home for Andrew. He has returned to New Jersey, known as the garden state, from New York City. The busy city of New York has perpetuated his disconnection with reality and his own feelings. He does not have an understanding of home, let alone any fond memories to recall. His reconnection with his family, the state he grew up in, and the house he once called home has not been a voluntary choice. This scene powerfully depicts his immersion into his past, while at the same time conveying to the audience his feelings towards the place artfully, within the first 8 minutes of the film. I thought this was a great example of visual rhetoric that speaks louder than scripted narration to establish character and setting early on in the film.