I Heart Huckabees and Socrates

The film I Heart Huckabees appears to follow the philosophical beliefs and journeys of Socrates. The philosopher believed that “an unexamined life is not worth living” (McPherran 541).  This idea is echoed in the film as the main character hires two existential detectives to investigate the meaning of his life. Through the main character’s journey of finding meaning in his life, several other characters begin to examine their lives to find their purpose. This leads to several changes in the characters’ lives as they begin to understand the life they were living was not the one they wanted. This is especially the case for the Huckabee Company’s main spokesmodel who leaves her fancy clothes and good looks for an attempt at simplicity. This self-examination is seen as madness from other characters however the film promotes the idea of constantly questioning your life purpose and surroundings.

The movie and its philosophical connections adopt a Socratic way of finding the truth through questions. Throughout the film, characters attempt to solve problems or find deeper meaning. This is mainly accomplished through the questions they ask themselves or others of why they engage in their behavior. The main character constantly asks the detectives questions that they are not willing to answer. Rather they use the questions he asks and his behavior to help him find the answer to his purpose in life himself. The film also demonstrates how it is not easy to constantly question yourself or examine your life. However, the journey is worth the destination as the film’s conclusion depicts. The film also discusses the interconnectedness of humanity as many characters find mirrors of themselves in others. The conclusion of the film ties back into this theme of interconnectedness as the main character finds that he can relate to his arch-nemesis and that they are essentially one.

Works Cited

I Heart Huckabees. Dir. David Russell. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2004.

McPherran, M. Socrates and the duty to philosophize. The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 24(4), 541-560.