featured in the film Garden State

“New Slang” was repurposed when it was prominently featured in the film Garden State (2004). In a scene from the film, Sam (portrayed by Natalie Portman ) tells Andrew Largeman (played by director Zach Braff ) that the song “will change your life.” The song “changed everything” for the group, causing their first two albums to sell more than twice what they had sold prior to the film’s debut. “Almost overnight, the Shins became indie-rock icons,” wrote Robert Levine of Spin . The band extended their tour in support of the song and its popularity. “We saw a change in our audience. By the time we were done touring for Chutes Too Narrow , there was this new interest”, said Mercer. “We toured again almost as the soundtrack to that movie, and colleges were all of a sudden interested in us playing on their campuses. We wanted to consummate the new relationship by touring and having a relationship with them. I mean, it just kept growing!” This additional exposure helped Oh, Inverted World move 500,000 units in the United States. Fans of the group had mixed reactions at their newfound success; some regarded their unknown nature as an integral part of their appeal. The band also appeared in season four , episode 17 of Gilmore Girls while Rory and Paris are on spring break in Florida.