“The Big Lebowski” Review
(From Left) The Dude (Jeff Bridges) talks philosophy with the sarsaparilla-drinking “Stranger” (Sam Elliott) in “The Big Lebowksi.”
Chaos is a major backbone of comedy. Whenever life doesn’t go someone’s way, it can be quite funny and, the crazier events get, the more humorous it’s likely to become. There are very few chaotic and insane films that somehow still feel real but “The Big Lebowski” is one of them. This genius, late 90s comedy classic is one of the most defining films of American cinema by having memorable characters, gut-busting writing and a premise that invites the question “what the fuck is going to happen next?”
Coming off the heels of their Oscar-winning gem “Fargo,” the Coen Brothers’ (Joel and Ethan) decision to make “The Big Lebowski” seemed both inevitable and out of left field. On the one hand, it’s still a comedy film that deals with crime and goofy characters. On the other, everything in this film makes me wonder how the hell they could have come up with half of these storylines. But, whether it was genius or madness, the story of “The Big Lebowski” is truly magnificent.
Set in the early 1990s, Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) is a lazy slacker who is content to abandon any societal expectations set upon him including abandoning his name for the persona “The Dude.” He’s unemployed, drives around listening to CCR and loves to bowl with his buddies: a psychotic Vietnam Veteran named Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) and a skilled bowler named Donny (Steve Buscemi) who is constantly told to “shut the fuck up” by Walter.
After being beaten by some thugs and having his carpet peed on (it really tied the room together), The Dude finds out there’s another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), ironically a millionaire, with a trophy wife named Bunny (Tara Reid) who owes money all over town which is why The Dude’s rug was “micturated upon.” When The Big Lebowski’s wife is kidnapped, he recruits The Dude to handle the ransom, believing that the “carpet pissers” were behind the whole caper. As The Dude gets more involved in the case, a series of strange characters enter the picture, leading to an increasingly crazy narrative.
(From Left) On his down time, which is all the time, The Dude loves bowling with his friends Donny (Steve Buscemi) and Walter (John Goodman).
Like most Coen Brothers films, the biggest strength of the film is its writing. Every character is exceptionally memorable because of how weird they are. There’s a incredibly competitive bowler named Jesus (John Tutturro), a porn king (Ben Gazzara) who Bunny owes money to, the Big Lebowski’s artist daughter (Julianne Moore) who doubts the kidnapping’s legitimacy and a narrator (Sam Elliott) who sometimes loses focus of the story he’s telling. Thanks to incredible lines and well-defined physical performances, every character is well-developed.
“The Big Lebowski” is not only one of the greatest films of all time, it’s one of the most quotable. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve introduced to the film and, a week later, we practically have the whole script memorized. It’s not that I watch the film every day, it’s just that there’s so many good lines and funny scenes that you can’t help but have them in your mind.
I don’t think I can say anything that hasn’t already been said about the acting in this film. Everyone is fantastic and I can’t imagine anyone taking their place, especially Jeff Bridges. The role of The Dude was written for him, he plays it so laid back that it’s almost comforting and I can’t believe that he almost passed on the role.
I could go on and on about how funny the film is but part of the fun is not knowing about the many hilarious circumstances surrounding these characters. I first saw the film at the Virginia Theatre at Roger Ebert’s annual film festival knowing virtually nothing about it. It was the hardest I think I’ve ever laughed while watching a film. There were scenes where I thought I was honestly going to stop breathing because of how much I was howling.
Walter’s outbursts, which include taking a pistol out on the bowling lane, make for some of the funniest scenes of the film.
Along with stellar photography by Roger Deakins and an amazing soundtrack featuring CCR, Bob Dylan and The Eagles, The Coen Brothers cemented themselves as master filmmakers. Unfortunately, the film wasn’t a big hit at the box office nor was it given any Academy Award nominations. But within a few years, it gained a devoted cult following spawning conventions, books and even a philosophical movement called “Dudeism” dedicated to the outlook of The Dude.
There are all sorts of books written about what “The Big Lebowski” means like how it’s a study of masculinity or a portrayal of the Baby Boomers’ desire to hang onto their past or a look at the haves versus the have nots. There’s definitely a lot to analyze in what appears to be a silly film but I ultimately find a great deal of wisdom within The Dude himself. In many ways, he’s a loser and would be described by many as a leech on society. However, he does care about others and, at the end of the day, wants to just live a peaceful life. He doesn’t judge or discriminate. He simply abides. And there’s a lot of comfort to take away from that.
I try not to build up films too much because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. But in the case of “The Big Lebowski,” I can safely say it’s one of the greatest comedy films ever made. Everyone I have introduced the film to loves it because it’s absolutely perfect for a group of friends to watch for a laid back movie night. It’s the perfect combination of smart, stupid, witty, childish, physical, verbal and timeless. It’s a film I’ve seen a million times and I’ll keep watching it until I die, get cremated and have my ashes stuffed into a Folgers Coffee Can.
