Huckabees
What Is It?
A very off beat film about intersecting lives. A man is trying to save the earth from urban sprawl, another is working for Huckabees (a Wal*Mart type super store taking over the world). Then they higher Existential Detective to investigate themselves in order to find the meaning of there lives. This tangles meany more realistic yet pleasantly zany characters into there "blanket" of existence.
How Was It?
This was a very fun and creative movie. Not to mention, it's the first time I have seen Lilly Tomlin in too long. There is no stop to the shear silliness but it's all a very cutting criticism on reality. Here we see people going to very large extremes to find things that when pulled back just slightly, sound like our lives.
Is It Good For Kids?
Most of the film is based on unraveling confusing philosophy, then they hit each other with big rubber balls, so they might like it. Though there is some explicit talk of sex and some visuals, one in particular that may prove disturbing for adults as well. You can check www.ScreenIt.com for a complete break down of elements shown on the screen.
How about Spiritual Issues?
The film is an explanation of Existentialism and Post Modernism. It's very very well done in presenting it's world view. (If only more Christians could make moves that are so entertaining while still being very open about there world view.)
The two philosophy are similar in many aspects. One believes we can't know truth so we must just invest in people around us, where the other takes the same stance but believes that if we can't know it, we live as if it does not exist.
In this film There are the existential detectives trying to show the way while "investigating" the subjects that hired them. Then a competing philosopher shows up. She is said to be an off shoot of the first couple. (She was a former partner.) The philosophers/detectives fight over the understanding of the main characters while the characters struggle to find the meaning of it all.
What we get at the end is that truth lies some where in the middle of the two philosophy and that the world is confusing so you just kind of bump back and forth. This set of ideals seems true to me, if only we lived in a world with out God.
Christians are introduced for one sceene, mostly to say that they are hypocrites who don't understand what they believe. Thus defusing the argument... what about God? Does he hold meaning for my life?
This is another fun yet tragic film just telling you "Don't Panic" in the midst of total meaninglessness.
What Is Your Recommendation?
Though entertaining, the views of life, Christianity, and casual sex are incorrect and in your face. Though it is nice to finally see a well done movie after so long, it's artistic value is not worth its taking the moral "I don't know anything" ground.
Here we the understanding from the book of Ecclesiastes played out, with out the salvation of God to make it worth while.
I believe the happy-ish ending in this film is the most deceptive part of the film. It seems to me that an actual understanding of this philosophy would lead to Hedonism or personal self destruction. (Like Existentialism and Post Modernism, there is not a great gap between hedonism and self destruction either.)
As I mentioned in my review of HgttG:
To understand this philosophy more before you see the film, check out Josh McDowell's book "Beyond Belief to Conviction" you can download a booklet version at http://www.beyondbelief.com/overview.spl
Finally, Live your life knowing it has purpose, and reach out to others who see nothing beyond there own questions
