I Heart Huckabees

An environmental activist (Jason Schwartzman) hires a pair of existential detectives to investigate a series of coincidences.

I Heart Huckabees is a difficult movie to describe, much less review. Writer-director David O. Russell establishes his own distinct theory of life, the universe, and everything, then runs with it, head first, for 106 minutes. The result is a funny, thoughtful film that manages to poke fun at just about everything, including itself.

Russell taps into the same existential angst that fueled such films as Fight Club and American Beauty, but eschews any kind of plot to resolve it. Instead of joining an underground boxing club or rebelling against middle-aged suburbia, Russell’s characters are forced to recognize their own shortcomings. In many ways, the film is one long deconstruction of not only the characters, but of life itself.

Nitpickers may argue that the film doesn’t really reflect true Existentialism, but it never pretends to. They’re existential detectives, not existentialist detectives. This is Russell’s own philosophy, and one he’s willing to question.

And it’s that willingness to question that makes I Heart Huckabees work. If Russell had tried to push his ideas in a more serious manner the movie would have been a preachy disaster, but by pointing out the very absurdity of his own philosophies, Russell invites the viewer to laugh with him, which, in the end, may be the best philosophy of all.

So give it a chance. If Russell’s sense of humor doesn’t work for you, fine, no harm, no foul. But if it does, you’re in for a treat.