Review: I Heart Huckabees (2004)

I (Heart) Huckabees (2004): 3 1/2 stars. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Jason
Schwartzman, Jude Law, Lily Tomlin, Isabel Huppert, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts

and Kevin Dunn. Screenplay by Jeff Baena and David O. Russell. Music by Jon
Brion.
Directed by David O. Russell. Rated R. Running time: Approx. 110 mins.


If I say I enjoyed I (Heart) Huckabees does that mean I am connected to the
film? Or
director David O. Russell?

For, a existential detective Bernard Jaffe (Dustin Hoffman) explains, the
universe is a
quilt and we are all pieces of fabric in that quilt.

Albert (Jason Schwartzman) hires Bernard and his wife, Vivian (Lily Tomlin),
because
he wants to know if it is merely coincidence that he has encountered the same
doorman on three separate occasions in three different places.

I (Heart) Huckabees is an original, interesting, sometimes frustrating
feature; a
movie that at times you have no idea what you are watching or what the
characters
are talking about.

All you know is that you are laughing and having fun.

Russell's movie overflows with eccentric characters and strange situations.

It is a surreal experience, heightened by Russell's playful use of his camera
and
music.

An all-star ensemble cast that also includes Jude Law, the luminous Isabelle
Huppert, Mark Wahlberg and Naomi Watts all interact in this comedic excursion.

Schwartzman's Albert, the leader of an environmental group, Open Spaces
Coalition, is an angry, self-righteous zealot who writes poetry as a political

statement. He is obsessed with Brad Stand (Law), an up-and-coming young
executive at Huckabees, who he sees as a threat and a rival.

Brad is a glad-hander who uses his friendship with Shania Twain to rise in the

corporation.

Huppert plays a determined French philosopher at odds with the theories of the

Jaffes.

At times Huckabees plays like slapstick as people continually spy on each
other in
the most blatant manner.

Wahlberg is especially zesty as a firefighter who is so devoted to the
philosophy of
the Jaffes that he will brook no deviation from their mantra.

Huckabees is a movie that must be seen to be appreciated. Words cannot really
do
it justice.

It is a novel approach to filmmaking, a knockabout, kooky, intelligent
exercise in
comedy with snatches of dialogue that may go over you head, but with enough
laughs to bring you down to earth.

Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, Ind. He
can be
reached by e-mail at bbloom.RemoveThis@journalandcourier.com or at bob.RemoveThis@bloomink.com.
Bloom's reviews also can be found at the Journal and Courier Web site:
www.jconline.com
Other reviews by Bloom can be found at the Rottentomatoes Web site:
www.rottentomatoes.com or at the Internet Movie Database Web site:
www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom

==========
X-RAMR-ID: 38887
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1330549
X-RT-TitleID: 1136990
X-RT-SourceID: 872
X-RT-AuthorID: 1363
X-RT-RatingText: 3.5/4