---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People compared Garden State to the…"
description: "\"People compared Garden State to the Graduate, but when was the last time you saw Dustin Hoffman doing what I do?\" — Zach Braff"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/zach-braff-854_dustin-hoffman_people-compared-garden-state-to-the-grad_2406913.png"
---

#  People compared Garden State to the Graduate, but when was…

![“People compared Garden State to the Graduate, but when was the last time you saw Dustin Hoffman doing what I do?” quote by Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/zach-braff-854_dustin-hoffman_people-compared-garden-state-to-the-grad_2406913.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/zach-braff-854_dustin-hoffman_people-compared-garden-state-to-the-grad_2406913.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/zach-braff-854_dustin-hoffman_people-compared-garden-state-to-the-grad_2406913.png)

> “People compared Garden State to the Graduate, but when was the last time you saw Dustin Hoffman doing what I do?”

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A humorous comparison highlights how the protagonist’s quirky, introspective journey differs from classic coming‑of‑age stories.

**In simple terms:** The film’s unique vibe sets it apart from older movies.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your own style, not just mimic past icons.

Themes

coming‑of‑age individuality nostalgia

Mood

playful reflective

Type

cinematic humorous

When to use this quote

- college graduation
- first job
- personal crisis
- creative projects

Key Concepts

indie cinema self‑discovery cultural reference

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your personal experience shape your view of the story?
- What aspects of the original film resonate with you?

A Different Perspective

May overlook the film’s deeper emotional themes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dustin hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dustin-hoffman/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Garden state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden-state/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hoffman/) [Hoffman Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hoffman-doing-6046934/) [Last time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-time/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [State Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-graduate-5946026/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/)

## Related quotes

> [North Dakota State. What do you have to do there to graduate? Milk a cow with your left hand?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-heenan/north-dakota-state-what-do-you-have-to-do-there-to-graduate-milk-a/)

[Bobby Heenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-heenan/)

> [I feel like I went from being a boy to being a man, in some respects, through the help of Dustin Hoffman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-feel-like-i-went-from-being-a-boy-to-being-a-man-in-some-respects/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [I'm a huge fan of Dustin Hoffman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlto-copley/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-dustin-hoffman/)

[Sharlto Copley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlto-copley/)

> [I was such a big Dustin Hoffman fan when I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-was-such-a-big-dustin-hoffman-fan-when-i-was-young/)

[Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/)

> [I'm sure when 'Midnight Cowboy' came out, it took a couple of minutes to get used to the voice and the look of Dustin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/i-m-sure-when-midnight-cowboy-came-out-it-took-a-couple-of-minutes-to/)

[Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/)

> [Dustin Hoffman also never does the same thing twice which is totally stimulating because you're always getting something new from him. You never really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-whishaw/dustin-hoffman-also-never-does-the-same-thing-twice-which-is-totally/)

[Ben Whishaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-whishaw/)

> [Ridiculously - fortunately - my first job was with Dustin Hoffman. I had a little part in this movie called Tootsie. And he taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/ridiculously-fortunately-my-first-job-was-with-dustin-hoffman-i-had-a/)

[Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/)

> [I think Dustin Hoffman's career I would love to emulate just because it's so diversified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-angarano/i-think-dustin-hoffman-s-career-i-would-love-to-emulate-just-because/)

[Michael Angarano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-angarano/)

> [Dustin Hoffman was the greatest. He had so much information to give and he mesmerized me. He really feels for actors who are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-weber/dustin-hoffman-was-the-greatest-he-had-so-much-information-to-give/)

[Amy Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-weber/)

> [Dustin Hoffman takes such pleasure in what he does and there's nothing tense about him. He exudes joy and passion for what he's doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-whishaw/dustin-hoffman-takes-such-pleasure-in-what-he-does-and-there-s/)

[Ben Whishaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-whishaw/)

> [I think Dustin Hoffman has been in at least three of my favorite movies of all time with things like 'Tootsie,' 'Marathon Man.' Getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-think-dustin-hoffman-has-been-in-at-least-three-of-my-favorite/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [It's so funny to get a call from Dustin Hoffman because he has that great voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/it-s-so-funny-to-get-a-call-from-dustin-hoffman-because-he-has-that/)

[Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/)

> [Everything we do on 'Luck' is absolutely no different than if we'd had been doing it in a feature film. There's no short cuts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mann/everything-we-do-on-luck-is-absolutely-no-different-than-if-we-d-had/)

[Michael Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mann/)

> [For a couple of years at the end of the 1970s, Dustin Hoffman was a fixture in our family. My father was his lawyer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burnham-schwartz/for-a-couple-of-years-at-the-end-of-the-1970s-dustin-hoffman-was-a/)

[John Burnham Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burnham-schwartz/)

> [I've been working since I was 18. People say something every time I cut my hair. They wouldn't say this to Dustin Hoffman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-bouquet/i-ve-been-working-since-i-was-18-people-say-something-every-time-i/)

[Carole Bouquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-bouquet/)

## More by Zach Braff

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [When you're the director and the writer, you never have to remember your lines, and there's no one to call you on it. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-you-re-the-director-and-the-writer-you-never-have-to-remember/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Yea, he's alright...but he's no Zach Braff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/yea-he-s-alright-but-he-s-no-zach-braff/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [It was really starting to get pathetic, everyday they would come in looking for one thing or another. 'Zach, can you give me some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/it-was-really-starting-to-get-pathetic-everyday-they-would-come-in/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [People ask me, 'Did the fame come too fast? Do you ever wish for your old life?' I always tell them that there's nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/people-ask-me-did-the-fame-come-too-fast-do-you-ever-wish-for-your/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [I wouldn't exactly call it 'Intelligent', but somebody has to be behind designing the human form other than just biological necessity. Why else would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-wouldn-t-exactly-call-it-intelligent-but-somebody-has-to-be-behind/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [People have called me fake, but personally, I don't think I'm fake because I'm so insincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/people-have-called-me-fake-but-personally-i-don-t-think-i-m-fake/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [When things seem to be slowing down, there's this little trick I like to play. I'd plow this virgin who's on her period, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-things-seem-to-be-slowing-down-there-s-this-little-trick-i-like/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [I want to take piano lessons, I want to study at university, I want to travel, I want to do other parts, make another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-want-to-take-piano-lessons-i-want-to-study-at-university-i-want-to/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [If John McCain were really a war hero he would've won Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-john-mccain-were-really-a-war-hero-he-would-ve-won-vietnam/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [If I could change anything about Garden State, it would be to cast somebody else for the female lead. Natalie just isn't really that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-i-could-change-anything-about-garden-state-it-would-be-to-cast/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Well it's not that I HATE them, but honestly if I saw two homeless people begging for money, one white and one black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/well-it-s-not-that-i-hate-them-but-honestly-if-i-saw-two-homeless/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [I never looked at bread the same way again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-never-looked-at-bread-the-same-way-again/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [I don't belive Oprah's sexual abuse stories, I mean who would take a black girl when there are plenty of white?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-don-t-belive-oprah-s-sexual-abuse-stories-i-mean-who-would-take-a/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

[Explore all 349 Zach Braff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

## More Dustin hoffman quotes

> [My agent says, "You have an audition for the next Dustin Hoffman movie, playing a pioneer woman." And I go, "All right!" I passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/my-agent-says-you-have-an-audition-for-the-next-dustin-hoffman-movie/)

[Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/)

> [TV shows are great right now in America. I find myself - and I hate to admit it - but we watch more TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franka-potente/tv-shows-are-great-right-now-in-america-i-find-myself-and-i-hate-to/)

[Franka Potente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franka-potente/)

> [The life of an action star is very short. I want to be an actor like Robert De Niro , like Dustin Hoffman or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/the-life-of-an-action-star-is-very-short-i-want-to-be-an-actor-like/)

[Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/)

> [I feel like I went from being a boy to being a man, in some respects, through the help of Dustin Hoffman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/i-feel-like-i-went-from-being-a-boy-to-being-a-man-in-some-respects/)

[Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/)

> [Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise were both so generous to me on the Rain Man set. I remember Tom was in the trailer when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/dustin-hoffman-and-tom-cruise-were-both-so-generous-to-me-on-the-rain/)

[Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/)

> [I admire Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman for their sheer dedication to their craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavrenti-lopes/i-admire-meryl-streep-and-dustin-hoffman-for-their-sheer-dedication/)

[Lavrenti Lopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavrenti-lopes/)

> [Rain Man certainly didn't test really well. If you look at it carefully, you have a disease autism they didn't understand back then, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/rain-man-certainly-didn-t-test-really-well-if-you-look-at-it/)

[Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/)

> [With 'Nostromo', Joseph Conrad said that he had wanted to write a novel about the degradation of an idea. That's what we wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-milch/with-nostromo-joseph-conrad-said-that-he-had-wanted-to-write-a-novel/)

[David Milch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-milch/)

> [The varying physical characteristics of the actors may also necessitate changes. Sean Connery is six feet four. Dustin Hoffman isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-lumet/the-varying-physical-characteristics-of-the-actors-may-also/)

[Sidney Lumet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-lumet/)

> [I would love to work with Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, Omar Epps, Martin Scorsese, Josh Mond, Woody Allen, Paul Thomas Anderson, and David O.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wolff/i-would-love-to-work-with-dustin-hoffman-john-malkovich-omar-epps/)

[Alex Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wolff/)

> [I got my SAG card quite unexpectedly. I was here in Los Angeles doing a play called 'Vanities' - it was 1976, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/i-got-my-sag-card-quite-unexpectedly-i-was-here-in-los-angeles-doing/)

[Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/)

> [Dustin Hoffman said this one time, that if he hadn't made it as a film star, he would still be happy as a character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/dustin-hoffman-said-this-one-time-that-if-he-hadn-t-made-it-as-a-film/)

[Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/)

> [There's people who live life authentically and there's people who live a life of fabrication. And it begins with the question of how you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mann/there-s-people-who-live-life-authentically-and-there-s-people-who/)

[Michael Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mann/)

> [I keep trying to explain to people that the archetype of intelligence is not Dustin Hoffman in 'The Rain Man;' it is a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-keep-trying-to-explain-to-people-that-the-archetype-of-intelligence/)

[Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/)

> [There are certain actors who are very good at improvising, like Dustin Hoffman and Glenda Jackson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-schlesinger/there-are-certain-actors-who-are-very-good-at-improvising-like-dustin/)

[John Schlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-schlesinger/)

[Browse all 59 Dustin hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dustin-hoffman/)

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