Attack of the Clones: Parallels between "Elizabethtown" and "Garden State"?

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Has anyone ever noticed how eerily similar these 2 movies are? Parent dies, tormented son comes to the funeral in the hometown they don't want to return to, is surrounded by weird relatives and friends he hasn't seen in years, meets quirky girl (played by well known Hollywood starlet), has revelation due to quirky starlet-played love interest, falls in love, life is suddenly worthwhile again. I thought Zach Braff was a lot more likable as the 'young male tormented soul'. I had a difficult time accepting wholesome looking, almost-too-pretty-to-be-a-man Orlando Bloom in that role – I simply didn't believe him. I personally watched Garden State after Elizabethtown (whereas GS was released the year before ET), with my boyfriend, and then proceeded to feel like dogmeat when I realized how similar the 2 movies were – he HATED Elizabethtown, and I rated it half a star when I wrote a review for it afterwards. I think Zach Braff's rendition of this 'find-yourself' plot was more well-liked, though. I had to forcibly stop him from walking out of the theatre during Elizabethtown.. he stayed on my couch rolling his eyes during Garden State.