i hate huckabees


i have tried several times to like/understand this movie. I don't, I can't and never will. I have liked some many in the same sort of genre (well I believe they're the same sort of genre) - Donnie Darko, You Me and Everyone We Know, American Beauty. But this one just seems to be arthouse wankiness that has no substance or entertainment value. Stories must be interesting and this one is poorly told, confusing, and every character is completely dispicable and uncharismatic.

Just my opinion though :0p

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I hate this film too...the only good thing about it is the youtube behind the scenes that came out with Lily Tomlin being a crazy lady!

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i just bought this on dvd as it was in the sale at hmv and looked interesting, it so wasn't. i was confused the whole way through.

the only thing that kept me watching it was mark walberg lol.


shouting lumos at the light switch will not help

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I've said it before and I'll say it again: this movie is for people who are interested in more than just flashy cars, celebrity gossip, and hip video games. If you don't like to think "deep" thoughts, I can understand why you wouldn't enjoy this especially quirky and highly thoughtful movie. Sorry but it's true.

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Just because you like it and we don't, doesn't make you a 'deeper thinker' and us illiterate, low brow morons. I like plenty of films that promote deep thought; and I see arthouse cinema films pretty much every week. instead of pigeonholing us, why not instead trying to explain why it's so deep and provoking...
better go now. I'm going to go rewatch the Fast and the Furious

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I think thunderwalk was referring to the fact that the previous poster said they were confused the whole way through the movie. The plot is linear and fairly straight forward. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with "deep thought" but I'm confused as to why someone would be confused during this movie. Perhaps it's because they are more like the Hooten family. These people have no additional questions to be answered and so they don't understand people trying to figure out their place in the universe. They don't wonder, "if the forms of this world die, which is more real, the me that dies or the me that's infinite? Can I trust my habitual mind, or do I need to learn to look beneath those things?"

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What happens in a meadow at dusk?

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Nothing...Everything!

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forrest4e: what bothered me is that one poster above seemed to suggest that the film isn't interesting, based on the fact that they were confused by watching it. That doesn't make much sense to me, but to each their own taste.

I just saw the movie for the first time tonight and was very impressed that filmmakers would try to tackle the subjects included while also making a comedy - that's very difficult. If it isn't always perfect, it is at least a very admirable effort.

My real name is Jeff

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It didn't seem like you were asking for illumination but since you are I would love to say why I love this movie. First of all you have to know a little about the concept of existentialism, which has to do with why we exist. Now with existentialism you are constantly battling with the two sides of everything matters, or nothing matters. Also sometimes religious people have issues with existentialism but from what I understand about it there is almost no room for religion. If you believe when you die you go to heaven then everything you do matters and existentialism doesn't play a part in your life and it may be why you can't enjoy the movie. But imagine if you will for 10 seconds that there is no God and you are sitting around trying to figure out if there is no afterlife than nothing I do matters, which is true. Or since there is no afterlife eveything I do matters and what I do is the only thing that matters. So Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin represent the thought that everything matters and thats why they are the detectives. They think everything matters so they investigate every part of your life to help you with your problems. But you can't understand the full picture unless you also think about how nothing matters and that is what the catelina stuff is about. And even though the detectives seem to not want her around there is a sence that she is part of their plan because you have to examine and weigh that side of the issue. Also the movie is brilliant because people that think about this kind of stuff usually see themselves as so self important and this movie pokes fun at those people while indulging fully on the issues. Its zany and lighthearted nature makes the movie flow so seemlessly but the main characters are on a journey to understand if what they do matters or if it doesn't matter. The movie almost never uses the word existentialism. Exept to say they are existential dectives. Which in itself is so ridiculious and hilarious. I don't mean to pigeonhole anyone as religious and thats why you don't understand I just figured I would get that out of the way. Please ask me any more questions about this movie.

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Good explanation. I'd rather watch a screenplay written by you. This movie was awful.

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Well Elle the fact that u admittedly stated u don't understand it may point to the fact that you're not a very deep thinker. Lol. This movie is fantastic and it kinda reminds me of a Wes Anderson flick, the music, mood and of course the fact that Jason Schwartzman is in it I suppose.

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I agree this movie was awesome.
The exaggerated characters complimented the sad nature of the film
I dont really know why but i felt like a new person after
Think about it..
and stop looking at your popcorn.

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I've said it before and I'll say it again: this movie is for people who are interested in more than just flashy cars, celebrity gossip, and hip video games.

Well, that counts me out.

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Damn you're pretentious!

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[deleted]

I think it's just one of those things; you can't force yourself to like a film. I expected this to be a Wes Anderson-type film and to hate it, but it just struck me as very likeable and unpretentiously pretentious, without the anal quirkiness that characterises similar pictures. Not that I thought it was great or entirely successful. It was fun though, and quite refreshing.

How do you like them apples?

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I found it interesting to a point and then it just became far too pretentious for me. I respect any one else's opinion who likes this film but I just hated it so much and i've tried to give it a go several times. Like you say, you can't force yourself to like a movie...but I wish I could comprehend what people like about it...just for my own benefit!

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I sort of felt the same way.

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What wasn't to like, Ellie?

Seriously, the story is not only interesting, engaging, quirky, funny and thought-provoking so what more could want from a movie?

And, by the way, Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman are top-notch (she might have stolen the picture).

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If you beleive in existentialism. If you ask to many questions? Youre gonna eventually feel depressed, like you have no purpose. This movie made me feel like *beep* I totally understood and got the message. That religion, laws, government, jobs, the things we do everyday, is all a distraction to keep us from understanding the world and feeling like we have no purpose. If you dont do these things then you have n purpose and theres no point of living. And in a survival of the fittest system it makes the weak feel like they have no purpose when they do and they dont see it cause theres always somebody who will be doing better than you and you envy them, cause they are more fit, and it seems like they get everything they want, but they are the same person you are struggling everyday to have a purpose to keep from being bored and seeing what they truly are, human.

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I don't understand this reaction towards existentialism, but a very large majority of people have it. Existentialism is freeing and liberating, not depressing. You are in control of your life to do want you desire. You are free. It's an exhilarating feeling. Life in general is meaningless therefore you can create whatever meaning you want for yourself. You're purpose is to live however you like.

And I hate that false Darwin statement, "survival of the fittest." It does NOT apply to a single lifetime and one generation. Stop using it incorrectly.

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Actually it kinda does, a generation of stronger, more fit animals/people are more likely to mate and pass on their genes. How is that not relevant exactly?

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Let's put it this way. I saw this on IFC and could see that is was made for a very specific audience. If I had paid to see it I'd have felt ripped off, but I recognize it's attraction to those who were the target audience.

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i bought this film the other day and watched it last night, loved it :) it's just my sense my humour.

told my boyfriend its not for him though


I'm a quitter. I come from a long line of quitters. It's amazing I'm here at all.

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Ohhh is your boyfriend retarded sweetie? That's so great that u two can watch cartoons together.

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Just terrible, terrible, terrible.
This film has to be the worst piece of pretentious junk I've ever seen in my life.
AVOID!

Broadway doesn't go for boooooze and dope!

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I don't get it, your list of favorite movies is full of waaaay more pretentios junk than this. Did you mean that you just didn't like it?

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His favorites are definitely not way more prententious. Check out for example Blow Up on his list. That is a true existential film. The scene with the Yardbirds and their guitar says more about existentialism then this film tries to. It seems prententious because the entire film feels smug in its presentation. As opposed to the scene mentioned above which does not force anything upon the viewer. I think the absolutely failed cutsy humor might enchance this impression as well.

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Who are these people who buy films before watching them? I didn't realize people like this existed.


-----------
I Chose Cheryl

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I bought this film without seeing it.

I liked the cast, it had good reviews, so i bought it, £5... Now, in the UK £5 is a cheap cinema ticket, with student discount!

And in the case of the cinema, why bother?
You see the film once.
But why go see a film you've never seen before?
You might hate it?

At least when you buy the DVD you could like it, and hey, then you can watch it 10, 50 or 1000 times.
And if you hate it, well, there's always ebay....

btw - i love going to the cinema, i'm just making a point!

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I agree I buy DVDs I haven't seen if they are cheap. Same price as renting. If you don't like them, you can pass them on to others who do.

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ummm....i think some movies are worth paying 7 bones to watch on a massive screen....like watching any action movie is 00000872340889234.00034820KHF0000 x better watching it big screen / imax

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Or you can just get closer to the TV...

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Stories must be interesting?

*sigh*

Unfortunately they can be as boring as they like.

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I buy films before I've seen them, when they are being sold for about £4 in HMV. Have ended up with some of my favourite films that way. Sort of like a lucky dip. I bought this film that way and I loved it, the main problem for me was Jude Law's awful attempt an american accent.

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Which American accent are you comparing it to?


You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for God's sake!

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People I know who live in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, sorry but it just didn't convince me and it annoyed me.

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Just wondering, because there are all kinds of accents in this country. I think people pay more attention when a European is trying to sound "American" then they do to people who actually live here and have accents that don't sound like what you hear on the nightly news or something. I really didn't find anything odd about Jude's in Huckabees, though...I live in the South and hear all kinds of accents here.


You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for God's sake!

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I understand, just suppose that over here we are used to hearing his actual accent. And maybe I am just used to the American accents of the people I know. Didn't put me off the film mind you. I think accent-wise he was more convincing in Cold Mountain.

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To be fair, though, I think I just don't pay much attention to accents in movies, unless they are way, way off the mark or should be very specific, so I'm not saying your assessment of it is wrong, it's just that I honestly don't know what the "American" accent is, because there's so many here. I guess there are a lot in Britain, too, though.



You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for God's sake!

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Ok, last I am going to say on this is that to me it was obvious he was putting on an accent. I know there are loads of different accents in the states but to me the accent in this film sounded fake, it's not that he didn't pull off a general American accent it was just clearly somebody faking an accent.

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I think you misunderstood, because I do know what you mean...like I said, "put-on" accents do seem to go right by me most of the time, unless it's really, really bad, while others can pick up on it a lot more than I. Are you from Britain?



You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for God's sake!

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I am from Ireland, but I suppose that it is just that over here we are so used to hearing Jude's english accent so it was more obvious to me.

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Oh, I wasn't asking because you didn't like his accent, I was just curious.




You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for God's sake!

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That's funny, I'm from California and I always was pretty impressed with how Jude's accent seems so natural in this film.

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correction stories SHOULD be interesting....engaging...otherwise what's the point? perhaps to give us a perspective we haven't already seen? definitely. but still, any story can be made interesting and engaging with enough revision and craft

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[deleted]

Gotta agree. Utter garbage. Dustin what the hell were you playing at?

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I thought it was a good movie. It's not the best film I've ever seen, but it had many special qualities to it. I think the key to appreciating this movie is in understanding its humor. Like people have said before, you can't force yourself to like a movie, or try to laugh at a movie you don't find funny. There's a whole lot of people who will never like anything about the film. But I guess what I'm saying is if there's anyone who wants to give this movie a second or third chance, I say make sure to not take the film so seriously, and try and laugh at what's going on. There's some great mind blowing ideas, but it's a movie and the filmmakers are not trying to compete with any of the major religions by converting people to their "I Heart Hukabees" cult. By realizing that the movie is constantly making fun of itself and it's crazy ideologies you can forget about the pretentiousness. The people in the movie are crazy, and crazy people are funny. Yeah sometimes they have great ideas, but mostly they are there for a good laugh.
"You can't deal with my infinite nature," she said.
"That is so not true. . . wait, what does that even mean?" he asked with a fake accent.
See that *beep* is funny, people are funny. . . we think we know what's going on but, nope, we're all just crazy.

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