Alright, here's how it is. Main review takes up a huge chunk of the blog. However, if you're looking for a quick synopsis of what I think, the bottom paragraph and mark out of 5 should suffice. Enjoy the review, or better yet: go see the film and enjoy that!
What is a coincidence?A striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance or something that was linked, prearranged and supposed to happen?Well, in I ♥ Huckabees, that is exactly what Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman) is trying to find out after having three chance meetings with an African Guy. To find out he visits a pair of ‘existential detectives’, Vivian & Bernard (Lily Tomlin & Dustin Hoffman) who assure him that given time, they can help Albert realise and understand the universe.
The most noticeable thing about I ♥ Huckabees is that it doesn’t seem to make any sense at all. Before you know it, there’s an entirely new language of philosophical psycho babble flying around left, right and centre. It just comes out so fast “Have you ever transcended space and time?”However, soon (thanks to Bernard’s trendy little blanket explanation) the audience, and Albert, understand that everything in the universe is interconnected. Nothing specifically connects everything because nothing is specific. Everything is the same, even if it’s different.Generally, this is where things get weird. So, I’ll try and take it one step at a time.The actors (particularly Dustin Hoffman) are superb. Every character is delightfully quirky in his or her own little way. In what could be seen as an inspired move, Jude Law is for once playing a character who could very realistically be seen as the films villain, if it had one that is. Also, it’s fun to see Naomi Watts as a promo girl, turned Amish nun. Generally, the film is just whacky and it’s fun seeing such serious actors break loose.
Although the films centrepiece (and title) revolves around the mega-corporation Huckabees, it really has little to do with the film. The company itself acts as the instigator for the entire film and other than that serves no purpose at all, really. It serves only to connect.Whilst watching Huckabees, there are many questions.What is infinite? What is existentialism? What the hell are they talking about?But as the film progresses, its themes (although portrayed light-heartedly) do get much darker. Trust, conflict, greed and morality are all explored. Hell, there’s even quite a thought provoking argument of god vs. petroleum usage between Tommy (Mark Wahlberg) and some Christian man who invited him to dinner that somehow is made to be absolutely bloody hilarious.
Throughout, Jon Brion’s soundtrack proves to as quirky as the film itself. A mixture of god knows how many instruments, usually with a clunk deep piano playing proves to be the perfect score for this. Not only is it so over the top, but at moments of complete silliness (Albert runs off with his bike and Tommy buys him time by signing both their bikes out and then throwing the form away) the low bashing of the keys seems to perfectly juxtapose the actions on screen.
Admittedly, the film doesn’t stay perfect all the way through. About ¾ of the way in, the focus is suddenly shifted from Albert to Brad (Jude Law) who up to that point felt like more of a supporting character. The scenes which focus on Brad are just as hilarious as any others but the sudden jump from one character to another one seems to be a little overwhelming. This could be used as a method from director David O. Russell to try and show the lack of clarity within the characters lives but generally, just feels like a sloppy way to shift the focus away from a character that isn’t doing anything at that moment in time.
All in all, human drama suffices as opposed to anything else.In the end, the final and most overwhelming humour within the film comes from realising the absurdity of human drama and the difference of psychological and physical states of being.That and muddy sex.
Whether you want a film to reflect on spiritually, or just to get lost in for a few hours, this is probably one of the best to be offered. Not quite as good as Garden State, but still absolutely hilarious.
4/5
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