31
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75Portland OregonianMarc MohanPortland OregonianMarc MohanMore a collection of character vignettes than a full-blown story, Garden Party nonetheless shows as much promise for its makers as it gives to its characters.
- 50VarietyVarietyIsn't racy enough to warrant the word of mouth necessary to make pic a sensation with its generation, the way the unrelated disaffected-twentysomething hit "Garden State" was.
- 50The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenWhatever else it may accomplish, Garden Party, which is clumsily structured but well acted, with pungently realistic dialogue, puts you in a world without a center in which you can't tell upside down from right-side up.
- 50Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasLos Angeles TimesKevin ThomasAlthough competently acted and directed, lacks a fresh point of view and its people lack individuality.
- 42Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerSeattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerWhether or not Garden Party is an accurate portrait of the shadow L.A. culture where the young, pretty and desperate can find quick rent money, this low-budget production never engages with its characters or stories enough to make you care either way.
- 38TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghIt's familiar stuff if you've sampled the vast body of work devoted to LA-dammerung.
- 33The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasTaken together, these stories are a symphony of inconsequentiality, drained of tension and purpose until all that remains is a vague sense of collective ennui.
- 25PremierePremiereThe leaden performances (Erik Scott Smith is the worst offender), the unlistenable musical interludes, the amateurish caricatures, and the short stories' lack of overall cohesion make this a garden party you should take a rain check on.
- 20Village VoiceVillage VoiceTrivial, commercially calculated ensemble drama (porn! pot! rock music!), which plays like a non-musical "Rent," or a faux-edgy "Shortbus" for kids raised on "American Pie."
- 12New York PostKyle SmithNew York PostKyle SmithA slow ride to nowhere.