I ♥ Huckabees

Dir: David O. Russell

2004

****

I watched an interview with Dustin Hoffman that was recorded a few years after I ♥ Huckabees and he confessed that he and Lily Tomlin had no idea what the hell they were doing in the film, they didn't understand the story or their characters but they went with the flow anyway. Arguments between Tomlin and director David O. Russell have since emerged although Tomlin now defends the director entirely, stating that he was a genius and under a lot of pressure. I loved I ♥ Huckabees when it came out but I too didn't really understand it. It's only after seeing more from David O. Russell is it that I can see his angle a little more clearly. Existential films generally do my head in but this is an exception, although I do believe a lot of what happens in the film is just for laughs, rather than having any deep hidden meaning. Personal interpretation of the story is available, David O. Russell has certainly indulged himself, as have the actors who have embraced him and the idea. The script was puzzling at times but I found it consistently enjoyable, both challenging and easy if that makes any sense? The performances really do make the film though, with Mark Wahlberg being the surprise hit. Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin are pros, they never looked as if they didn't know what they were doing and Jason Schwartzman looked very much at home as the king of quirky. Jude Law, Isabelle Huppert and Naomi Watts ventured out of their comfort zones and also made quite an impact. Everyone looked like they were having lots of fun, which is always nice to watch, apparently some were having a better time than others but that only goes to show what great actors and what great performances they were. Very funny with a killer soundtrack to match.