Review: 'I Heart Huckabees' is thin rip off disguised as campaign movie and retail spoof

I Heart Huckabees   R          

            David Russell's existential day tripping nod to Huckabees, a fictional Wal Mart like chain, and to environmental developers, is somewhat inspired. A cast including Hoffman and Tomlin as philosophy detectives play of Jason Shwartzman and Jude Law among other newer names. The story seems to be about an ad agency and a rival environmentalist group at odds over a marshland in Arkansas, (an homage to where Wal Mart started and then governor Mike Huckabee, (who recently saw and hated the movie during his presidential bid). Trippy mind games haunt a guy working for the environmentalist group because he so hates his rival and wants to destroy him. Like 'Royal Tennebaums', has two funny scenes, and like 'Being John Malcovich' isn't all that clever as the writers think it is. Angry mental satire really was on with 'Malcovich' and there was more entertaining. Here isn't just like seeing a dramatic reading at a counselor's convention. Fox Searchlight did the viral marketing and also funded Huckabee's bid for president, so he should appreciate it. He has his own Fox show now. Coincidence? Not at all. Mind trip? Maybe both, like this movie. It was just okay if it’s not taken seriously as drama or comedy, but some weird inbred crossover of the two. 
Review by Adam Browne