I Heart Huckabees

(source: tmdb.org)

Many films are remembered or made relevant after years of obscurity for the wrong reasons. One such example is I Heart Huckabees, a 2004 comedy directed by David O. Russell.

The plot revolves around Albert Markovski (played by Jason Schwartzmann), an environmental activist who tries to stop the construction of a department store owned by the Huckabees brand. After encountering a stranger who may or may not be a figment of his imagination, Albert hires two private detectives – Bernard Jaffe (played by Dustin Hoffman) and his wife Vivian (played by Lily Tomlin) – who base their methods on existential philosophy. Along the way, they introduce Albert to former firefighter Tommy (played by Mark Whalberg), one of their clients, who becomes Albert's friend. However, Tommy later becomes disillusioned with the Jaffes and hires the services of their former student, Caterine Vauban (played by Isabelle Huppert), a proponent of an different philosophy. Meanwhile, Albert finds himself at odds with Brad Stand (played by Jude Law), the executive behind Huckabees, whose girlfriend, Dawn Campbell (played by Naomi Watts), is the face of the company.

I Heart Huckabees is one of the early 21st Century Hollywood comedies that attempted to garner attention and win over critics by being "quirky," a trait more commonly associated with low-budget independent cinema than big studios. However, being quirky and being good are two very different things, and I Heart Huckabees serves as a prime example of this. While the concept of mixing social drama, eccentric characters, and philosophical debates might seem interesting on paper, Russell failed to bring it to life on screen. The film is not particularly funny, the jokes are forgettable, and the philosophical content only serves to make everything look pretentious.

Veterans like Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin add some class and talent to the film, but their efforts are not enough to salvage I Heart Huckabees from its disappointing and forgettable status.

Ironically, it is only years later, when David O. Russell became the subject of accusations of abusive behaviour on set, that I Heart Huckabees has become relevant once again. A YouTube video depicting arguments between Russell and Lily Tomlin, published three years after the film's release, is now more likely to be remembered than the film itself. This unfortunate turn of events only serves to underscore the fleeting nature of cinematic success and the importance of creating good, thoughtful films that resonate with audiences, rather than simply trying to shock or provoke.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

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Whenever I see abstract metaphysical and existential concepts set up well in film format, I get such a smile.

Huckabees does that with a rare comedic tone, great acting from a thick cast, and a solid story structure -- a great blancing job by director David O. Russell (written by Russell and Jeff Baena).

This is a fun, funny, smart film. A golden movie from the first golden era of indie cinema (1994-2005? I proclaim the era very loosely).

One of those movies you think, "Awesome and how did the director pull off this greenlight? And where are these movies today?!" One of those movies we we're lucky enough to see in the 90s. One of a style we may be seeing more of in the future, as an alternative US market shifts and breaks free from the US world market, hopefully.

The midpoint of Huckabees is an interesting one that makes sense. We have a story of existential crisis, a man, Albert, who hires existential detectives to help him investigate his life, his meaning, life's meaning, what he's missing, etc.

Our midpoint is a flash at the film's possible ending here, as our main character hits a wall, goes negative, and joins the "Nothingness" team in stark contrast to the "Connectedness" team.

Act 1 sets up Albert's crisis of meaning and his hiring of the detectives, his opening himself up to the ideas of connectedness.

It makes sense then that the midpoint of the film falls into Albert's unravelling, his getting fired from Open Spaces, and his rejection of the earlier ideas. The audience sees him join Caterine. We wonder now if this is where he will find his "truth" or "disconnectedness."

Our journey, our quest for meaning and truth rages forward!

Be well.

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