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Amazon.co.uk Review
Billed as "an existential comedy," I Heart Huckabees is a flawed yet endearingly audacious screwball romp that dares to ponder life's biggest questions. Much of director David O. Russell's philosophical humor is dense, talky, and impenetrable, leading critic Roger Ebert to observe that "it leaves the viewer out of the loop," and suggesting that Russell's screenplay (written with his assistant, Jeff Baena) is admirably bold yet frustratingly undisciplined. Russell's ideas are big but his expression of them is frenetic, centering on the unlikely pairing of an environmentalist (Jason Schwartzman) and a firefighter (Mark Wahlberg) as they depend on existential detectives (Lily Tomlin, Dustin Hoffman) and a French nihilist (Isabelle Huppert) to make sense of their existential crises, brought on (respectively) by a two-faced chain-store executive (Jude Law) and his spokesmodel girlfriend (Naomi Watts), and the aftermath of 9/11's terrorism. No brief description can do justice to Russell's comedic conceit; you'll either be annoyed and mystified or elated and delighted by this wacky primer for coping with 21st century lunacy. Deserving of its mixed reviews, I Heart Huckabees is an audacious mess, like life itself, and accepting that is the key to enjoying both. --Jeff Shannon
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It's one of those films from one of those directors. It makes some people fall in love and others get angry much like the work of Wes Anderson and Alexander Payne. You already know if this is your kind of thing (the prescence of the quite brilliant Jason Schwartzman is a signal of its indie pedigree) So if the recent 'Life Aquatic' made your blood boil then disregard the 5 star rating I've given this.
I Heart Hukabees follows a young environmental(ist? conservationist?) trying to save a forest and some Marsh land who is convinced the repeated sighting of an ethiopian doorman is a hint that what he is doing isn't worthwhile. He Contacts Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin's 'Existential Detectives'. Through them we meet Tommy, a petrolium hating fireman with a short fuse and are gradually introduced to the people Albert is forced to deal with.
The characters are really perfectly cast. Jude Law is in his element as a smug corprate hack, lets face it he's far too pretty to feel sympathetic towards. Dustin Hoffman is fantastic as Bernard portraying a strange, layed back enthusiasm and Naomi Watts is surprisingly game for making herself look utterly ridiculous. The film really rest on the shoulders of Schwartzman and Wahlberg though, the latter being the real massive surprise of the film since he gives by far the best performance of his career.
The music is very impressive. Multi instrumentalist Jon Brion provides a score that can sound quaint one minute then epic and bewildering the next. The DVD also gives an insight into the reording process, the video for 'Knock Yourself Out' and a little infomercial in which he sits at the side on a stool playing songs from the film in the breaks.
Go into this looking for a coherent plot and you're going to be dissapointed. Go Into this looking for a meaning of life and you'll feel the same way. But if you know what to expect from the so called 'American New Wave' of the late 90s that David O Russel is apparently a part of, it'll make you laugh and maybe even give up using petrol
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm partly amazed by the negative reviews on this page. When I saw this film at the cinema I came out thinking it was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time and certainly one of the cleverest full stop.
It is a constant debate upon the two philosophical views of the world: Everything's Connected or Everything's Separate. Think about the political extremes that people have (left wing/liberal to right wing) and you see how these two extreme philosophies dominate our lives.
So it's incredibly clever and demands repeat viewing to see the constant comments about our perceptions and views. Plus it's brilliantly funny as well!
So ignore the past negative opinions. If you want a film that's a refreshing change from the brainless pap that dominates the cinemas then see this brilliant and funny film.
It is a constant debate upon the two philosophical views of the world: Everything's Connected or Everything's Separate. Think about the political extremes that people have (left wing/liberal to right wing) and you see how these two extreme philosophies dominate our lives.
So it's incredibly clever and demands repeat viewing to see the constant comments about our perceptions and views. Plus it's brilliantly funny as well!
So ignore the past negative opinions. If you want a film that's a refreshing change from the brainless pap that dominates the cinemas then see this brilliant and funny film.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
David O Russell first made his name with Spanking The Monkey at Sundance in 1994. The film was made for $80,000, starred Jeremy Davies and catapulted the director into the spotlight. Forever the subversive, David O Russell has never seemed to compromise his vision for the films he directs. Three Kings is one clear example - a Hollywood action movie that questions the reasons why America is at war. Stories abound of his fist fight with George Clooney on the set. In I Heart Huckabees he seems to have had an explosive row with Lily Tomlin (see YouTube for extracts.)
This refusal to kowtow to others is a strong trait among the great directors (e.g. Hitchcock, Ford, Herzog, Kurosawa etc) Whether O Russell is yet in that league is too early to determine, by my god I enjoy watching films from directors that care...and stick like super glue to their vision.
This refusal to kowtow to others is a strong trait among the great directors (e.g. Hitchcock, Ford, Herzog, Kurosawa etc) Whether O Russell is yet in that league is too early to determine, by my god I enjoy watching films from directors that care...and stick like super glue to their vision.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Existence and Shania
I have watched this film several times now and can honestly say that its original, intelligent and brilliant. Read more
Published 12 months ago by j.r
A strangely funny movie that is pretentious in an audience friendly...
A young man hires existential detectives to work out the meaning of a series of coincidences he's recently experienced. Read more
Published 13 months ago by BS on parade
I heart Huckabees review
Forget everything you know to be true, forget everything you might be told....when this product arrived in the post it was immaculate as a new born baby, my happiness is complete,... Read more
Published on 2 April 2010 by Peter Mclaren
Great Idea.... Great Cast.... Very Disappointing Movie
If anyone sits through this film, hates it, and comes away wondering if they've missed some clever philosophical theme that's gone completely over their head, don't worry - it's... Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2009 by D. Sammons
Amazing. I don't see how people can think otherwise.
This is in response to all the negative reviews i just read. Amazing idea, fantastic cast and it IS really funny. How anyone can think this is boring and meaningless is beyond me. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2008 by L. Page
"You rock, rock!" Best existential screwball comedy about a blanket in...
This is just inspired filmmaking. Perfectly goofy, hilarious in many places and a complete delight. It's totally cohesive as a narrative and perfectly believable in its own way. Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2008 by Chintan Nanavati
AWFUL
i dont know how anyone can enjly this. It was incrediably tedious. I could hardly stand it!The jokes were barely funny and the acting i'm afraid to say is pretty dire! Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2008 by Ms. F. I. Macdonald
Tedious existentialism
Existential comedy can, it would seem, be quite tedious. Only worth watching to see the ever wonderful Naomi Watts.
Published on 3 July 2008 by D. Brusca
I Heart something a little more cohesive
I rented this DVD from Amazon on the advice of a work colleague who claimed it was `the best film ever' and that she made a point of recommending it to everyone she met. Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2008 by Captain Pugwash
Emperor's new clothes....
Some nice performances and slick pseudo-indie direction, but ultimately a disappointment. I get the impression that you're supposed to see past the irritating plot to something... Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2008 by Adam D. Bisset
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