This unusual dark comedy gave Wahlberg the chance to lampoon himself in one of his funniest performances to date.

Image via Fox Searchlight

THE BIG PICTURE

 Mark Wahlberg’s role in I Heart Huckabees showcased his comedic talent beyond physical humor, relying solely on dialogue delivery.

 The film allowed Wahlberg to embrace offbeat idiosyncrasies in a supporting role, challenging his typical leading man image.
 Wahlberg’s self-aware portrayal of a conspiracy-obsessed character in the film was a parody of his usual heroic roles, showcasing his versatility.

While it’s not uncommon to see musicians make their way into either filmmaking or acting, it is rare to see highly popular musical artists completely redefine their image on the big screen. Despite receiving a level of notoriety in the 1990s as a member of “Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch,” Mark Wahlberg became a permanent fixture in the film industry thanks to his breakout role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. His subsequent career has been anything but predictable; between starring in major franchises like Transformers, receiving an Academy Award nomination for his role in the Martin Scorsese thriller The Departed, and playing a series of real American heroes for director Peter Berg, Wahlberg’s ambitions are evident by his eclectic selection of roles. While he’s certainly a more multifaceted performer than he’s given credit for, Wahlberg has consistently proven he has a knack for comedy. David O. Russell’s unusual dark comedy I Heart Huckabees gave Wahlberg the chance to lampoon himself in one of his funniest performances to date.

A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means.

What Is ‘I Heart Huckabees’ About?

I Heart Huckabees is a highly satirical comedy that examines various issues within modern society, including corporate greed, the disparity of wealth, and the inherent skepticism of unlicensed medical professionals. The story centers on Bernard (Dustin Hoffman) and Vivian Jeffe (Lily Tomlin), two “existential detectives” that utilize nontraditional investigative skills to help their troubled clients reach moments of self-actualization. While it’s evident from a few scenes detailing the nature of their craft that the Jaffes have little actual insight, their business undeniably has an effect on disaffected clients who are just seeking answers to unknowable questions. Wahlberg co-stars as Tommy Corn, a fireman obsessed with rampant corruption in the petroleum industry. Although his tirades suggest he’s nothing but a confused conspiracy theorist, Tommy ends up listening to the Jaffes’ advice.

What ultimately becomes clear is that, as funny as Tommy is, he’s ultimately just a tool within the film’s plot mechanics. It’s in the aftermath of Tommy’s rage at his problems not being solved by the “existential detectives” that he introduces their prospective client Albert Markovski (Jason Schwatzman) to a rival philosopher, the nihilistic professor Caterine Vauban (Isabelle Huppert). While a lesser actor could have made the character nothing but a source of exposition, Wahlberg makes the most of his character with a limited amount of screen time. It’s his childish vendetta against the Jaffes for failing to satisfy his demands that he strikes out on a personal mission to undermine them; his childish comments to Albert make this even more uproariously funny.

The interactions between Tommy and Albert are particularly funny because Wahlberg and Schwartzman have completely different senses of humor. If Wahlberg’s comedic roles often feature broad physical humor and erratic gags, Schwartzman has succeeded in playing offbeat, awkward characters. They are such an unusual screen pairing that seeing them work together allows both actors to step out of their comfort zones; Albert begins to show some of the aggressive tendencies that his new fireman friend exudes, and Tommy begins to react to social pressures in a manner that reflects Albert’s perspective.

Mark Wahlberg’s Casting in ‘I Heart Huckabees’ Was Genius

Image via Fox Searchlight

I Heart Huckabees was certainly not Wahlberg’s first comedic role, as he had successfully delivered memorable one-liners in films like Three Kings and The Italian Job. However, I Heart Huckabees put Wahlberg into a position where he couldn’t rely on his physicality, forcing him to rely entirely on the delivery of O. Russell’s entirely unusual dialogue. The highly specific cadence of Wahlberg’s voice, which so often is used for delivering masculine mumbo jumbo, is instead utilized for irreverent monologues about conspiracies and hidden messages. It’s so vastly different from anything else Wahlberg has ever done that it’s impressive he took such a risk.

Although he’s often cast as the lead in his films, I Heart Huckabees suggests that Wahlberg might work better in supporting roles. Playing a lead character often saddles him with delivering expositional lines and handling the emotional crux of a story, a task that is enviable for actors that like to experiment. I Heart Huckabees gave Wahlberg the chance to simply revel in the story’s weirdness and work within tangential plotlines that are only related to the main plot revolving around the Jaffes in the loosest thematic way. The lack of dramatic heft within the role offered Wahlberg the opportunity to develop offbeat idiosyncrasies revolving around Tommy’s beguiling behavior that wouldn’t have been possible if he had a more significant role; he may in fact be a character actor who’s been wrongfully typecast as a leading man.

Mark Wahlberg Is Best When He’s Self-Aware

Although his most recent set of leading roles in inspirational family dramas like Arthur the King suggests he takes his career quite seriously, Wahlberg’s performance in I Heart Huckabees is reflective of his self-awareness. The notion of Wahlberg playing a conspiracy-obsessed “bro” who is ignorant to how ridiculous he sounds essentially feels like a parody of the types of “family man” characters Wahlberg often plays. Although he clearly has a vested interest in appearing in inspirational dramas where he gets to play real heroes, Wahlberg’s I Heart Huckabees is an equally ethnic portrayal of a banal, unambitious everyman. Despite being capable of great violence, Tommy is a character whose intentions seem completely pure.

While the response to some of his more recent action projects has been lacking, I Heart Huckabees will hopefully not be the last time Wahlberg takes a major risk. His worldwide fame, coupled with his newfound interest in being a figure within family entertainment, makes it all the more surprising whenever Wahlberg takes on a project as peculiar as I Heart Huckabees. Should he remain interested in subverting expectations, Wahlberg will want to make sure that I Heart Huckabees is not an outlier within his career, but an early example of his bravery in accepting untraditional parts.