Some might hate Huckabees

JOHN DEPKO

In his previous major film, David Russell directed and wrote the

screenplay for the critically acclaimed “Three Kings.” It was a very

offbeat reflection on the fortunes of war for a few greedy American

soldiers at the end of Desert Storm. It offered plenty of sarcastic

twists and turns about matters of life and death, politics and power,

opportunity and destiny. It was a minor gem in that year’s movie

offerings.

Russell convinced several top actors to try to take these quirky

observations to a higher level in his new and very strange comedy “I

{heart} Huckabees.” Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin play a

husband-and-wife team of existential detectives. They are hired by

confused humans trying to unravel the nature of their own existence

and the meaning of life. Tidbits of New Age philosophy and quantum

physics run through the personal situations and dialogue of the

central characters. Jude Law and Mark Wahlberg play fellow clients of

the team who end up at odds with each other over environmental

issues.

In the movie, Huckabees is a department store that appears to be a

parody of the Wal-Mart chain, with all its problems and controversy.

Corporate TV ads clash with the nebulous statements of Being and

Nothingness spouted by the clients of the existential detectives.

This bizarre mixture does produce many notable laughs sprinkled

throughout this unusual film. But overall, it has the look and feel

of an amateur college production that is only a shadow of Russell’s

past work. At its best, “Huckabees” has some very amusing

philosophical moments, but it’s impossible to take seriously and not

funny enough to enthrall. Wait for the video.

* JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator

for the Orange County public defender’s office.