IMDb > I Heart Huckabees (2004)
I Heart Huckabees
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

I Heart Huckabees (2004) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 40 | slideshow) Videos (see all 14)
I Heart Huckabees (2004) -- A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means.
I Heart Huckabees (2004) -- Albert has another session in the black bag where he tries to make sense of his life.
I Heart Huckabees (2004) -- A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means.
I Heart Huckabees (2004) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   33,435 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
David O. Russell (written by) &
Jeff Baena (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for I Heart Huckabees on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 October 2004 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
An existential comedy
Plot:
A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(71 articles)
Syfy Tackles Comedy in 'Outer Space Astronauts'
 (From TVovermind.com. 13 November 2009, 12:33 PM, PST)

Outer Space Astronauts hits SyFy Dec. 8
 (From Monsters and Critics. 12 November 2009, 8:58 AM, PST)

User Comments:
A Existential Trip Through Life more (355 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
I Love Huckabee's (USA) (working title)
I Love Huckabees (USA) (alternative title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language and a sex scene.
Runtime:
107 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
An existential detective couple is featured in Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel, "Vineland". more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Brad and Albert enter the elevator near the end of the film, Brad's shirt is completely soaked down to his elbows. After the elevator doors close and a brief discussion between Brad and Albert, Brad's shirt is completely dry up to his shoulders. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Albert Markovski: Motherfucking cocksucker motherfucking shit fucker what am I doing? What am I doing? I don't know what I'm doing. I'm doing the best that I can. I know that's all I can ask of myself. Is that good enough? Is my work doing any good? Is anybody paying attention? Is it hopeless to try and change things? The African guy is a sign, right? Because if he isn't, than nothing in this world makes any sense to me. I'm fucked! Maybe I should quit. Don't quit! Maybe I should just fucking quit. Don't fucking quit! I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to fucking do anymore! Fucker! Fuck shit!
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
I Get What It's About more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
77 out of 97 people found the following comment useful.
A Existential Trip Through Life, 17 April 2005
9/10
Author: Iain Watson (iainwatson@yahoo.com) from Edinburgh, Scotland

Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman - Rushmore) is an urban guerrilla. A freedom fighter against Urban Sprawl and Corporate-sponsored Over-Development. At least this is how he likes to think of himself. In reality he's a self-obsessed insecure neurotic, and his environmental action group 'Open Spaces' is having little success in the face of their nemesis, the Huckabees corporation. That is until Brad Stand (Jude Law) steps in. As the caring face of Huckabees he sets up a co-operative group with 'Open Spaces' and shows that corporate entities and environmental groups can work together for the good of the community.

Again, that's how Brad likes to think of his work but he's not a happy man. His mental wellbeing is unravelling, his home life is not good, and his work is beginning to suffer. His wife is Dawn Campbell (Naomi Watts - Mulholland Drive), she is the gorgeous face, body and voice of the Huckabees corporation. That is until she discovers that life is meaningless, we are all simply atoms caught up in a never-ending cycle, and identity is an illusion.

She discovers this through the work of Bernard (Dustin Hoffman) and Vivian (Lily Tomlin), a husband and wife existential detective agency. They are hired by Albert to investigate why he feels so empty in his life, and to answer his number one question - what is the meaning of life. They observe him 24 hours a day and investigate all other relationships in his life. This leads them to Dawn, who starts wearing dungarees and a babies bonnet after their "treatment".

Meanwhile Tommy Corn (Mark Wahlberg - Boogie Nights) is a client of Bernard's and Vivian's agency. He is going through a crisis. An ex-pupil of Bernard and Vivian's, a Russian Nihilist Existentialist called Caterine Vauban (Isabelle Huppert) has sent him her book, on why Nihilism holds the answers he seeks. He comes to believe this is correct and Bernard and Vivian believe he needs the help of an "existential partner" and introduces him to Albert. He try's to convince Albert Nihilism is the way forward, but Albert falls in love with Caterine and finds out it isn't.

Being billed as an "Existential Comedy" I've been meaning to see 'I Heart Huckabees since it was originally released about 6 months ago, but never got round to it. Totally kicking myself now cause it was absolutely superb. Awesome soundtrack, inventive and original cinematography, some amazing performances and most importantly a great story. Directed and co-written by David O. Russell (along with Jeff Baena) who last gave us 'Three Kings', the well-received anti-war comedy drama set in the first Iraq war. I personally didn't think 'Three Kings' lived up to the hype, an enjoyable film sure, but not particularly ground breaking or terribly thought provoking.

'I Heart Huckabees' blows 'Three Kings' away, the dialogue has so many levels it's hard to peel them away, but as Bernard teaches "it's all connected". The soundtrack is from the always-awesome Jon Brion who has given us the great music to some of the best films of recent years such as 'Magnolia', 'Punch Drunk Love' and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. The performances are powerhouses, Law and Watts both standing out as two of the finest young actors in the world today. Watts steals the show thought, surpassing her turn in one of my all-time faves, 'Mulholland Drive'. The film's main theme is one of anti-corporatism, but it isn't so pervasive as to effect the overall upbeat feeling of enlightenment and acceptance the film immerses us in.

The best part of the film for me was the inventive use of the visuals to perfectly illustrate scientific and philosophical ideas. It's pure eye candy, sections of the film peeling away, mixing with other areas of the screen to form new pictures, showing us how everything can be deconstructed. We are all the same. It's all just atoms, identity is an illusion, we are all connected.

'I Heart Huckabees' is released on DVD in the UK today.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (355 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for I Heart Huckabees (2004)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
100 things we learn from I Heart Huckabees jesikuchis
I'm Sure This Has Been Discussed Before GenXDude
Director David O. Russell Flipping Out sexyloser1128
Why does everyone hate this? RunAliceRun
Purree's cameo appearances BeansOnToast
My Existential Analysis of this 'Existential Comedy' audib13
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Trzy kolory: Bialy American Beauty Caché Edvard Munch
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.