The plot of this movie meanders like a bunch of ecologists lost in the Amazon.  “We’re all connected” is a revolving buzz phrase, like so many others, but unfortunately, nothing else in this movie is actually connected.  The film jumps from one scene to another, Robert Altman style, with little relationship between the scenarios.  Moreover, neither Schwartzman nor Law was credible, which seriously hampered the film.  Schwartzman was a wooden dummy, mouthing his lines.  And although Law can act, he cannot pull off an American accent – unlike Watts, who was brilliant in her stupidity.  Hoffman, in a Beatles wig, and Tomlin, are both good, but they just keep mouthing the same dribble, over and over, so nothing ever advances.  The best character was Wahlberg, who was funny despite his rather annoying state of delusion.

As usual, we have the requisite Christian punching bag.  In this case, that means a family of believers who’ve invited a Sudanese refugee to live with them, but who rudely allow their children to mock him – and who despise anything even remotely connected to knowledge.  Because you see, you can’t have a brain and be a Christian, you know.  Russell even uses the cliché about “curiosity killing the cat” to portray this sorely-deluded, hypocritical family.  Oh, how original.  No, how existential! Because I’m so brilliant!

“I Heart Huckabees” actually has an interesting premise.  It attacks those who pursue knowledge at the cost of relationships, portraying how that ultimately results in emptiness.  Unfortunately, however, without a decent plot or credible characters – not to mention lead actors who do their jobs – it just doesn’t stand a chance.  Moreover, the real message of the film is loud and clear.  In this movie, while taking a dig at those who thirst for real knowledge, Russell is trying to illustrate that there is no truth – only raving lunatics who think they’ve found it.  Thank you very much.

I majored in philosophy, so I know how silly all the debate can sound – especially when it neglects the reality of a living God who brings meaning to the world, individuals, relationships and everything we choose to engage in, should we choose to embrace Him.  But this movie made me feel like I was watching a bunch of stoners attempting to solve the problems of the universe at three in the morning.  That’s not something I really feel like doing.  Do you?  And that is not a coincidence.

OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT

• Drugs/Alcohol Content:    Background party drinking; one scene where character smokes cigarette.
• Language/Profanity:   Extreme.  Film opens with a stream of 15 obscenities that include 9 f-words.  The rest of the film contains at least 15 more f-words, several dozen other obscenities (many crude) and multiple profanities.
• Sexual Content/Nudity:  Kissing between couples in several scenes; one reference to masturbation; very lewd shot of woman’s bikini-clad rear-end bending over; several shots of cleavage; woman places foot in man’s crotch to seduce him; woman caresses herself through clothing; characters engage in perverted sex acts.
• Violence:  Man punches another; characters fight; characters shove each other’s face in mud (which then turns sexual); characters commit arson.