I ♥ Huckabees

Now here is a movie that seems to divide people. I have only just seen I ♥ Huckabees last night for the first time. This is after much goading to see it or warnings that it is a waste of time. I really liked it all the way through. I don't want to join the school of thought that says, "If you like this movie, you are smart. If you don't you are stupid." However, I think the movie itself does that. Similar to Vanilla Sky, except Vanilla Sky decided to trump everybody in the end by saying, "I, Cameron Crowe, am smarter to all of you so let me explain . . ." (We'll get to that ka-razy Tom Cruise later.)

When I had to take philosophy classes in college (there is a time and place for everything) or read about that crap on my own, I always remember thinking, "Yeah, but none of this stuff can really be applied. It's just a fun puzzle to think about." Even realistic matters like environmental or cultural issues are seemingly impossible to do anything effective about. I loved the mile-a-minute dialog and action around the absurdity of everyday application of systems of thought that really have no place in modern western society. I guess that's what makes this movie so unique and interesting (sometimes that alone make a movie good to me). These same topics disseminated in a sci-fi (The Matrix) or drama of some sort, I believe wouldn't have been so dividing of its audience. Russell says -

I’m doing something different—I’m taking the ideas seriously in a comedy, even though I’m being off-handed and joking about it as well. I think the most daring thing about this film is its sincerity and its optimism.

As a Zen monk once said to me, “If you’re not laughing, you’re not getting it.”

Sound a little pretentious? Do you see the like-me-and-you're-smart-don't-and-you're-dumb argument hidden the wisdom of a Zen Monk? Do I have to point everything out for you, you dimwitted dolt?

Tomcat69w, a commentator on IMDB had this to say -

This pile of excrement has been on Cinemax 3 times in the past 36 hrs. and I didn't make it past the first 2 minutes. It had NOTHING to say!!! Now some will say "Why didn't you change the channel???" I popped in Last Samurai instead,...and I don't care for Tom Cruise at all, but it was better than trying to make sense of this dung-heap. Also,..I'm on my neighbors cable,...so if I want to watch TV I HAVE to watch what he watches or play one of my own movies. I like Dustin Hoffman,...but the whole cast acted as if they were just F'ing' around without much to say other than some Jewish idealism of what existentialism means to everyone!!! Most of us have our own ideals and I'm sick and tired of Jews in Hollywood making crap like this and thinking the 'rest' of Us will like it. Now b4 I get hate mail for anti-semitism,...4get it,...I am NOT anti-semetic,...I'm just anti-crap!!! The 1st poster 'wastecontainer' had it right too,...cause THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE FOR THIS DRIVEL!!!!!!! Another poster said if you don't like this 'stick to your action/comedy movies! Damn straight again,...as much as I dislike Tom Cruise I'd rather watch any of his 'crappy' movies over this,...so to sum it all up,...I HATE THE HUCKABEES!!!!!!!

So after two minutes of viewing his stolen cable Tomcat69 has concluded that Jews suck. By the way, David O. Russell the writer/director is only half Jewish by blood and grew up atheist. However, it is very clear that Jason Schwartzman is. His character, Albert, is by Russell's own admission based on himself. Still, the Jew in Hollywood argument will never fly right. Anyway, the ideas presented aren't originally western at all - they're based in eastern philosophy. So how about we try the I Hate Asians In Hollywood Argument? Or maybe the I Hate Asian Ideas Watered Down Through Whites In Hollywood Argument? Like Last Samurai. Oh! Damn, there's Ka-razy Tom again! Tomcat69, simplistic as he is, is not too far off with the racial stereotyping although. Here is an interesting review that rightly points out Russell's (and Jeff Baena, the other writer) shortcomings as an effective communicator -

Albert the moral and emotional Jewish man outweaseled by the Brad the two-faced WASPy-blond who cares only about money and status. Even worse is a shameful sequence in which a family of fundamentalist Christians who have adopted an African man are shown up as screeching hypocrites. The sequence, poorly written and played, didn't convince me Russell has the experience to get this schematic shouting match right. It feels sloppily prejudicial. (The Looking Closer interview contains some of Russell's ideas about religion, and, to his credit, he is somewhat abashed by his portrayal of the Christian family.)

Anyway, I liked this movie. I liked Marky Mark Walburg in it. I think it is one of his strongest roles so far. I don't get it when people say that nothing happens in this movie - it is all talk about stupid ideas. Tons of stuff happens all the time, maybe even too much. It is a classic melodramatic story structure with all the high (silly) drama appropriate to it. I might not add it to my top Ten Movies Ever list, but for a good time it hit the spot.