A few intellectual subjects and some interesting actors over-acting does not make a masterpiece. Far from it. This movie was pretentious, dull, and a pain to sit through.
Did I mention it was pretentious?
I have come to hate that word so much. People just lazily throw it around to describe something they don't like. Explain how it was pretentious.
Is it just me, or has use of the word "pretentious" gone up 150% in the last 5 years?
i agree.
I find most people who use that word don't really no what it means.
so true. kinda ironic actually.
shareIt's pretty hard for any movie with such a light touch to be really pretentious. C'mon the whole jet ski bit and the fight in the elevator, that's pretentious? Them getting slapped in the face with the ball that's pretentious? Maybe you find it stupid and dull, but pretentious it's not. To be pretentious something has to take itself far more seriously than this movie does. Next thing you'll tell me is that Gremlins is pretentious or maybe Beavis and Butthead. If you think the movie's pretentious you didn't understand what it was about, and it ain't that complicated- pure slapstick with philosophy as the subject, if you think this is supposed to be about philosophy you probably think "Duck Soup" is a war movie or maybe you just use pretentious as a term of abuse without really thinking through what it means.
shareIt really has a very lighted hearted approach to a subject that could be extremely heavy handed. I think a good movie to compare it to that you could call pretentious is Eternal Sunshine. Although I love eternal sunshine. I'm not saying this is as good, but it is the same sort of existensalist (yeah i know it's spelt wrong) take on an abstract subject. Very fun and does make you think a little, but no where near enough to garner the label "pretentious".
shareYes Yes Yes! Eternal Sunshine is utterly pretentious. I find Huckabees to be deftly written and directed by Russell. It is a slice of angel food cake to those who get it.
share[deleted]
It wasn't "pretentious" because it wasn't trying to introduce the philosophies as somehow being profound to the viewer, only to Albert and several of the characters in the film, if this fact eluded you then I suggest you take a break from watching movies if you can't keep from getting genres confused (hint: it's a comedy, retard)
Also, the acting was really good, I'm an actor and I know what I'm talking about. If you cite any lines that you think were awkward or not convincing then I might respect you, however you just said "they overacted lol" which leaves me, an actor, very skeptical
Hmm. If it was a comedy it wasn't a very good one; aren't comedies supposed to make you laugh?
I'm an actor too and the acting in this thing wasn't 'really good', I will agree with you it wasn't "overacted", but it wasn't 'really good' with the possible exception of Naomi Watts who did bring some conviction and depth to her part. Everyone else looked like they were just going through the motions - competently going through the motions, but not inspired. As to finding any lines that were awkward or not convincing, that would involve watching the movie again - the last thing I want to do.
----------
"Look! - it's the Invisible Man!"
"Aren't comedies supposed to make you laugh?"
This could be the most shallow statement I've ever heard.
I think this type of humor just went way over your head.
Either you get it, or you don't.
No, not all comedies are supposed to make you laugh.
I never laughed at any point during "Rushmore" and "The Life Aquatic".
I thought both were hilarious.
It's called "dark humor".
Apathy...
It's a beautiful thing.
"This could be the most shallow statement I've ever heard."
What a sheltered life you must have lead.
And I just because I didn't 'get' humour didn't mean it was 'over my head'? What an arrogant statement. I don't 'get' the Three Stooges. Does that mean they are over my head too?
You can't have found those movies 'hilarious' and 'never laughed at any point'. That's oxymoronic. Hilarity is defined by Webster's as "marked by or causing hilarity", which in turn is defined as "boisterous and high-spirited merriment or laughter."
'Dark Humour' my arse. It was self indulgent pseudo-intellectual drivel pretending that it was funnier than it was.
----------
"Look! - it's the Invisible Man!"
Alright, you just took "over your head" and tried to say that it's something it's not.
And yes, I can find a movie hilarious and never laugh at any point.
That's just me.
When presented with this type of humor, it's one of those "I'm lmao on the inside" sort of situations.
It's not oxymoronic.
Also,
"It was self indulgent pseudo-intellectual drivel pretending that it was funnier than it was."
That sentence alone is the epitome of "self-indulgent pseudo-intellectual drivel".
Something tells me that you don't fully grasp what that means.
Anyway, that's beside the point.
You call me arrogant, because you misinterpret my use of the phrase "over your head".
Did you take that as me calling you and idiot?
Find me a synonym for that phrase that gets the same point across in an even clearer way.
Please, I'd like to know.
Apathy...
It's a beautiful thing.
What a Idiot,
What kind of retard starts a post like this, fact; huckabees is a great movie and should be a least 8.5
I bet this guys just like the guy sitting at the dinner table sayin(oooo u need a functioning ecconomy, jobs, blah blah blah)
"If u use pertolium your a murderer, thats a fact" - tommy corn/I heart huckabees
You know, I usually don't reply to anything in imdb forums, but I just want to point out a major irony a lot of people bashing this film are giving out upon themselves. How is this film (which attacks superficiality in society) "pretentious"? I've never seen such a swarm of elitist remarks of a film from so many self-established non-elitist people.
shareClaiming or demanding a position of distinction or merit, especially when unjustified.
That's the definition of pretentious.
Sounds a lot like "I <3 Huckabees" to me.
[deleted]
[deleted]
Pretension:
1 : an allegation of doubtful value : PRETEXT
2 : a claim or an effort to establish a claim
3 : a claim or right to attention or honor because of merit
4 : an aspiration or intention that may or may not reach fulfillment *has serious literary pretensions*
5 : VANITY
Watch it again, if you can, and see if it fits.
I came here to see if someone could clear it up for me why this movie should be considered to have any value, and failed to find anything.
Me neither - though I did discover it was supposed to be a comedy, a fact which managed to elude me for the entire time I was watching it.
----------
"Look! - it's the Invisible Man!"
I LAUGHED MY HEAD OFF at this movie...I mean, existential detectives? Come on, do they really exist? I loved each of the characters, from Dustin down to the little guy with the beard in the driveway! I loved it better the second time I watched it. Mark Wahlberg was great as the pissed-off fireman...I loved his and Jason's scene where they were hitting each other in the face and the whole dialogue when they were eating dinner at the African guy's home and when they would take off on their bikes. I loved Jude and Jason's whole elevator scene, from the time Jude tried to get into the benefit until Shania shoved him, and I love the outtake of J and J in the meadow at dusk that I came across on YouTube (is it included on the DVD? I'm going to buy a copy, was just curious). Naomi Watts was great in her Huckabee's commercials...eh, I could go on and on. The thing is, I did not take this seriously in the least bit. But then, I'm not intellectual enough to ponder existential truths and what not...ooooh, so maybe I was laughing at them and not with them...maybe they were being serious? Nah, I don't think so!
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Didn't see it until last month for the first time...
as much as i LOVED this movie, i dont see pretentious as some crazy thing for someone to think about this movie. You have to remember alot of the silliness of this movie comes from their whole philosophy and stuff.
shareThe topics they discuss in the movie may be seen as "profound" by some, but certainly not (i hope) to most. The movie discusses a very elementary level of existentialism and shows the impact of living these concepts in a humorous way. In no way did I find the movie trying to convince me of these ways of thinking. Heck, the movie ends with the actors bashing themselves with a rubber ball. The movie was LAUGHING AT ITSELF. Flick on the sarcasm switch, people.
Waking Life, on the other hand, is a philosophical movie that tries to throw serious philosophical ideas to the viewer. Watch this movie and notice the difference if you haven't already (it is a fantastic film though).
I think uve all took this way to seriously.
was a great film which makes u think about life.
"If u use pertolium your a murderer, thats a fact" - tommy corn/I heart huckabees
ahhh what a nice comment. :)
sharei was really surprised by how much i love this movie...i was expecting the fake "artsy" movie, but what i found was a fantastic representation of how *beep* up the real mind is. we dont think of things in these literal terms, but really, we go through everything these characters deal with...its a great movie to laugh with, and connect with, and at the same time...make fun of all the people that believe in that type of stuff..
daniel
haha that mother *beep* didnt return (that started this thread)
shareAs stated above, this movie is far from pretentious. It is lighthearted and let's the viewer consider some interesting points, but focuses on entertainment, and often confusion--which really, in turn, reflected the philosophy. It's all a messy circle.
share[deleted]
Hell yeah! I wish they had negative ratings for movies like this.
share