Have you ever transcended time and space? That is one of the many questions asked in the new existential comedy, “I Heart Huckabees.”
Starring Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law and directed by David O. Russell (“Three Kings”), Huckabees focuses on Schwartzmanʼs character, Albert. Convinced that a few random encounters with a strange African man will change his life, Albert hires Bernard and Vivian Jaffe, played by Dustin
Hoffman and Lily Tomlin, a pair of existential detectives, to observe his everyday activities.
Albert works for an environmental firm called the Open Spaces Coalition who are trying 6.5″ West Chester to save the marshland where the brand new Huckabees store will be built. Jude Law plays Brad, the charismatic director of the Huckabees store. Albert eventually loses all respect at work due in large part to Bradʼs charming personality and good looks.
Albert is eventually introduced to his equal in life, Tommy, played
wonderfully by Mark Wahlberg. Together Albert and Tommy abandoned Bernard and Vivianʼs approach to life and join up with French radical Caterine (Isabelle Huppert), the Jaffeeʼs nemesis, who shows Tommy and Albert a new way of viewing the world.
Eventually Brad becomes so interested in the existential detectives that he decides to hire them to evaluate his life. Bernard and Vivian delve deep into Bradʼs seemingly perfect life and relationship with Dawn (Naomi
Watts), the Huckabees spokes model, but what they find is somewhat less than perfect.
“I Heart Huckabees” is an extremely funny movie with an amazing ensemble cast. Performances by Naomi Watts and guest appearances from Talia Shire and Tippie Hedren were incredibly enjoyable. However, the best and most humorous performance in the film was from Mark
Wahlberg.
Director David O. Russell really knows how to challenge the audience to look beyond the surface of the movie and examine the underlying meaning.
In the end “I Heart Huckabees” is a bizarrely entertaining comedy with an amazingly talented cast.