#985- The Big Lebowski (1998)Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi
Directed by: Joel Coen
Plot Summary: Jeff Lebowski, otherwise known as the Dude, arrives home and is attacked by two thugs demanding money that is owed to Jackie Treehorn. After one of the thugs urinates on the Dude's rug, they realize that they have attacked the wrong Lebowski. The Dude goes bowling with his friends Donny and Walter and is convinced to go demand the other Jeffrey Lebowski, a crotchety millionaire, pay for him to get a new rug because it "tied the room together." Lebowski, acknowledging the Dude's slacker appearance, insults him and denies his request. When Lebowski's wife Bunny is kidnapped, he relies on the Dude to be the courier in order to hand over the ransom to get her back. When other parties start showing up to speak to the Dude, questions arise on whether or not Bunny was even kidnapped by someone, and when the Dude's car is stolen with the money inside, he must find a way to get the ransom back before Lebowski, the kidnappers, and anyone else involved comes after him.
When I started this month, there was really one goal in mind: to FINALLY see The Big Lebowski and figure out what all the fuss is about. This makes so many lists, including top comedies, most quotable movies, and is considered one of the best films from the Coen Brothers. Keep in mind that all of this has developed years after the film was released. When it first came out, The Big Lebowski was met with mixed reviews and did poorly at the box office. But since its release, it has gained a cult following and the Dude has become one of the biggest pop culture icons of the '90s. So, there was a lot of hype going into this one and I was nervous that, like Fargo, it wouldn't live up to my expectations. Miraculously, The Big Lebowski exceeded all expectations I had, kept me laughing, and became an instant favorite. So what is all the fuss about? Well, like many of the films from the Coen Brothers, the plot is not what fascinates the audience, but rather the characters and The Big Lebowski has its fair share of the memorable and the bizarre.
Jeff Bridges delivers one of the most iconic roles of his career as Jeff "the Dude" Lebowski. Bridges does such an amazing job at playing such a carefree character that you don't see an actor, you see a guy that you could be friends with. Perhaps that's what's so identifiable with the Dude, is that he is a universal type of character but is performed with such expertise that he's the quintessential bum. He could literally be THE dude. There's also so many things you can dissect about the Dude, from what he drinks, to his hobbies, to how he interacts with his friends, to the fact that one of the things he values most in the world is his floor rug (it tied the room together). He might have other important roles (one of which I'll talk about in a little bit), but the Dude might be the one Jeff Bridges is known for the remainder of his career because of the Dude's appeal to our inner slackers.
The Dude is a member of an iconic movie trio and one of the most legendary bowling teams ever assembled. Donny, played by Steve Buscemi, is the more quiet and reserved member of the group and is a perfect foil for the Dude and Walter, played by John Goodman. Walter is my favorite character of the entire film because of how outrageous and outspoken he can be. Nearly every scene he's in involves a conversation of how whipped he is by his ex-wife, his Jewish "faith," and the Vietnam War and it's incredible. One moment he can be trying to be politically correct by telling the Dude to refer to a "Chinaman" as an Asian American (he even uses the word nomenclature), the next moment he can pull out a loaded firearm over a controversial bowling call because it's a league game. Walter is an incredible film and proof why I love John Goodman so much. He and the Coen Brothers are a great mix.The Dude isn't the only Lebowski in this film, but these Lebowskis are of no relation to the Dude. The first is the OTHER Jeffrey Lebowski (otherwise known as the titular "big" Lebowski), played by David Huddleston. Either Huddleston or the Coen Brothers must've been inspired by Lionel Barrymore because I'm convinced Lebowski is a modern day version of Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life. Lebowski and his wife Bunny, played by Tara Reid, don't do a whole lot in the film, nor do they appear on screen very long. However, the two have a presence all over the plot because of the mystery of the ransom, which goes to show that you don't need a lot of screen time to make in impact in a story. Jeffrey's daughter Maude, played by Julianne Moore, is one of the film's most eccentric characters thanks to some of her hobbies and friends, along with the way she speaks and her peculiar attachment to the Dude.
The film also has a lot of memorable side characters that give that extra something to strengthen how strange the film can be. One of my favorites is Brandt, Mr. Lebowski's personal assistant played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Brandt acts as a mediator between the two Lebowskis and his constant attempts to maintain order and pleasantness in the most screwed up of situations is absolutely hilarious and makes me miss Hoffman even more so because of his range of talent. The Stranger, played by Sam Elliott serves as the narrator of the film. I think more films should be narrated by Sam Elliott. Why? Because he has an awesome voice that's why. You ever hear the commercials he narrates? He has a very distinct voice meant for telling a legendary story like this one. And the final character (who does very little, but people love him) is Jesus Quintana, played by John Turturro. Some might think Jesus as just a cocky bowler who bugs the Dude, Walter, and Donny but he has so many distinct mannerisms and quips that he's a bit of an enigma. He's only in about two or three scenes and he makes an impact as one of the most memorable characters in the whole film.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The Big Lebowski kept me fascinated the entire film. Within every scene I was able to dissect the situation and figure out why every joke was able to work. I'm only able to do that with a handful of comedies, so that must account for something. If you enjoy comedies, add this one to your collection because it's one of the most quotable comedies in history.
The Big Lebowski and movie images are copyrighted by Universal Pictures
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