Convinced that a series of coincidences involving a doorman hold some secret to life’s largest riddles, Albert Markovski seeks the help of a detective agency unlike any other--which leads him down a path that questions the essence of existence itself. In an attempt to ferret out the meaning of these flukes, he consults Bernard and Vivian Jaffe, AKA the Existential Detectives, a pair of married metaphysicians who fearlessly investigate the mysteries at the core of their clients’ secret innermost lives.

Bernard and Vivian kick off their existential exploration of Albert Markovski by probing his past and present reality. Along the way, they uncover his festering conflict with Brad Stand, a golden boy executive climbing the corporate ladder at Huckabees, a popular chain of retail super-stores that wants to sponsor Albert’s Open Spaces Coalition for the PR value. The Existential Detectives are convinced that Brad (seemingly Albert’s opposite) is the key to cracking Albert’s case, but then Brad turns the tables on their investigation, by hiring the detectives himself.

As Bernard and Vivian begin to dig deeper into Brad’s ambition and his relationship with Huckabees’ hot blonde spokesmodel Dawn, Albert begins to lose faith and rebels against their conclusions. Pairing up with another of the duo’s clients--firefighter, tough guy and uncompromising soul searcher Tommy--he joins forces with the Jaffes’ arch nemesis, the sexy French philosopher Caterine Vauban, who valiantly battles for the contrasting point of view. Now, as Being chases Nothingness, Albert, Tommy, Brad, Dawn, Bernard, Vivian and Caterine chase one another in a wild romp through life’s biggest questions to find the true answer.

Directed by
David O Russell

Cast
Jason Schwartzman - Albert Markovski
Isabelle Huppert - Caterine Vauban
Dustin Hoffman - Bernard Jaffe
Lily Tomlin - Vivian Jaffe
Jude Law - Brad Stand
Mark Wahlberg - Tommy Corn
Naomi Watts - Dawn Campbell
Angela Grillo - Angela Franco
Ger Duany - Mr Nimieri
Darlene Hunt - Darlene 

Production Co.
Kanzeon
Qwerty Films
Scott Rudin Productions
N1 European Film Productions and Co. KG

Produced by
Michael Kuhn
David O. Russell
Scott Rudin

Studio
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Writer
David O. Russell
Jeff Baena

Music
Jon Brion