I Heart Huckabees Film Analysis

Directed and produced by David O. Russell, I Heart Huckabees is a comedy film that contains many philosophical elements. A man named Albert coincidentally meets an African man on three separate occasions. Seeking to find out the reason for these coincidences, he seeks the help of two detectives, Vivian and Bernard Jaffe. These detectives spy on Albert to solve his coincidences, as well as to teach him some things about himself. In the meantime, a firefighter named Tommy is assigned as Albert’s other. Believing that he is not getting the help that he needs, Tommy abandons the Jaffes and seeks out someone else. It isn’t long before he comes into contact with Caterine Vauban, whom he introduces to Albert. While the Jaffes were mentors to Vauban, her approach goes against that of the Jaffes. Furthermore, she appears to undermine what the Jaffes are saying. After a series of unfortunate, bizarre events, their stories begin to come to a close. In try to make sense of the past events, Albert combines the approaches of both the Jaffes and Vauban. Upon doing this, he begins to finally understand the true nature of the meaning of life and reality itself (Russell).

While Vauban’s approach falls under the belief of nihilism, the approach of the Jaffes is tied to the belief of existentialism. While existentialism is a western philosophy, the example that the movie puts forth, is very similar to the fundamental Buddhist teaching of Pratītyasamutpāda, or the doctrine of dependent organization. This doctrine teaches that all things arise due to the causes and conditions of what already exists (Prebish and Keown 48-49). For instance, if a seed is planted, then a plant arises. If a seed is not planted, then a plant does not arise. Therefore, the heart of this doctrine is predicated on connections being established, as a result of dependence, hence the notion that all things are