Overall Rating
  Awesome: 31.71%
Worth A Look: 44.72%
Just Average: 0.81%
Pretty Crappy: 17.07%
Sucks: 5.69%
11 reviews, 57 user ratings
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| I Heart Huckabees |
by Josh Gryniewicz
"Existentially hilarious -- just don't call it 'quirky'"
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At the center of David O. Russell’s "I Heart Huckabees" is an endearingly absurd exploration of metaphysics. A film that meditates on the question of existence by asking – is everything in the universe interconnected through a vast web of significance or is it all an expanse of meaningless nothingness and random occurrences – answering this with a resolute yes!The film follows four dramatically different characters whose lives are drawn together by their respective existential crises and the metaphysical detectives who are on the case. Albert (Jason Schwartzman), a horrifyingly bad poet and environmental activist who heads up his local chapter of Open Spaces, a grassroots group pit against urban sprawl. Tommy (Mark Wahlberg) a burnt out firefighter obsessed with petroleum exploitation and the environmental, social and political destruction it causes. Brad (Jude Law) a glossy, irritating slickster sales rep for Huckabees (a Wal-Mart/ Target inspired "everything store") with a saccharine grin and oozing, insincere charisma. Dawn (Naomi Watts), Brad’s girlfriend and the spokesmodel for Huckabees. Each of them in the midst of a what – does – it – all – mean kind of experience are investigated by the emphatically non – therapeutic eccentric existential detectives, Bernard (Dustin Hoffman) and Vivian (Lily Tomlin) who attempt to unlock the key to each of their existences.
If all of this isn’t convoluted enough to muddle a plot, enter Caterine (Isabelle Huppert), former student of the Jaffes turned to the nihilistic dark side (with an expected amount of "Star Wars" references in tow) who attempts to corrupt/ educate Albert and Tommy in her own school of thought.
"Huckabees" success comes from the fact that the film never risks taking itself seriously, traipsing between philosophical theories would be awkwardly ridiculous if it weren’t for the film’s celebrating its ridiculousness from the start. In other words, Russell manages to handle a range of pop - philosophical, pop – mystical, pop – psychological theories on existence without any of the pretentiousness that permeates Richard Linklater’s films. In fact its similar to the methods that Russell plied for his anti – Gulf I film "Three Kings" layering its criticisms and significance beneath a veneer of comedy – action, thereby giving him a lot more freedom in expression.
It was less Linklater and more Kauffman however that seemed to be evoked in reference to the film since its release. I heard a number of comparisons that even turned "Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind" writer into an adjective for the film – "Kauffman – esque." Whenever that term wasn’t being tossed around, it was P.T. Anderson ("Magnolia", "Punch – Drunk – Love") who was getting kudos for setting the "Huckabees" precedent – point being, "quirky" is not a genre. In other words, each filmmaker should be respected on their own merits, just because two films are unconventional does not mean they have anything in common. Russell should get props for his own signature style, the term "quirky" should be done away with completely and now, I will get off my soap box.
The cast lives up to their stellar reputations – every member of the ensemble is genius in their own right. Hoffman and Tomlin share a priceless comedic chemistry with an extraordinary sense of timing, both seem to relish their eccentric roles and make every on-screen moment intoxicating. Schwartzman, at ease as the off – the – wall outsider, portrays Albert in a style reminiscent to his Max Fischer performance in "Rushmore." Wahlberg’s off-kilter, hair trigger tempered, petroleum obsessed characterization would have been tiresome if executed by a lesser actor, but he manages to make the redundancy into a consistently funny punch line. And both Law and Watt’s respective meltdowns are some of the most entertaining bits of the film.This film begs at least a second, if not a third, viewing – it is more sophisticated then it lets on and regards its philosophical themes without a pretentious air. Its unapologetic absurdity is its most redeeming quality and also maybe it’s most profound philosophical statement as well.
link directly to this review at https://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=10446&reviewer=362
originally posted: 11/16/04 09:39:30
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OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Toronto Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Toronto Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Mill Valley Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Mill Valley Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Leeds Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Leeds Film Festival series, click here.
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USA
01-Oct-2004 (R)
DVD: 22-Feb-2005
UK
N/A
Australia
16-Dec-2004
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