David O. Russell's 2004 movie
I Heart Huckabees explores the idea that there's a hidden order to life in this crazy, topsy-turvy world. On the other end of the spectrum, it covers existentialism, too. The film revolves around Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman)—an environmental nerd bubbling with rage and Bernard and Vivian Jaffe (Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin)—strikingly odd shrinks who call themselves “existential detectives.” While some may call it a screwball comedy with an all-star cast (which also includes Jude Law, Naomi Watts, and Mark Wahlberg), Manhola Dargis of The New York Times said
I Heart Huckabees is “loud, messy, aggressively in your face and generally played for the back row in the theater. The film
doesn’t offer up solutions, tender any comfort or rejoice in the triumph of the human spirit.” Isn’t the idea of existentialism alone enough for viewers to take in?