The Big Lebowski

[GF Owner]

Film Title: The Big Lebowski

Film Date: March 6, 1998

Film Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller

Film Review

Dude, like, man, no film has captured a well-deserved set of laughs like this one in a long while for me. Comedy at it's darkest, purest, and most creative is right here in a roughly 2 hour long package, which will leave you wanting more. The Big Lebowski, starring Jeff Bridges, is probably the Coen Brothers' best work, if not one of them.

The story for this film is a strong one. It is not an average comedy, since many comedies have little or no plot, or have a cheesy or just a downright crappy plot/story. This film is an exception. It is complex, keeps you hangin', and is always interesting. It opens off as a narrative, with Sam Elliot as the voice behind it. He describes, in a fairy-tale introduction fashion, the character you will meet very soon in a past-tense sort of way. Sooner or later, you see 'The Dude' in a grocery store drinking milk for a taste/quality test. Yep, this is your character, but don't be turned off by him yet, he doesn't stop delivering at all in any part of the film.

After an unexpected and mistaken conflict between The Dude and a couple of porn-hired thugs, we are taken to a bowling alley, to see a couple other main characters introduced. The first to see is Donny (played decently by Steve Buscemi), then immediately we meet the unpredictable yet hilarious Walter (played with enormous talent by John Goodman). It appears that he has been mistaken for another Lebowski, with his same first name, who happens to be a millionaire that is married to a skanky wife. Our beloved Dude goes there and discusses the matter, and meets the wife responsible for his mistaken conflict. A day later, it comes to his attention that the same Big Lebowski has a hostage situation by thugs connected to the porn-industry; with the wife being the victim. Almost forced to comply, The Dude is given the responsibility as a courier, and has her life in his hands. The rest of the film lifts off from there, with unexpected, interesting, and exciting plot twists/additions to the experience.

Acting is top-notch. It seems like they all, except Steve Buscemi perhaps, love what they're doing and empathize with their portrayed characters like they were playing themselves. Jeff Bridges, AKA 'The Dude' is perhaps the best in the cast, definitely doing the main character due justice. This is maybe his most distinct role in any film yet, and he doesn't fail here. He, in this film, is imprinted in my mind as one of the coolest characters ever. John Goodman takes cake as second best, and not by a mile wide. Walter's character, the emotionally unstable, unpredictable, trash-mouthing Post-Nam soldier retiree is played like million + dollar painting. Who can forget the interrogation with the thieving teen? Julianne Moore, hardly a well delivering actress, actually puts out well in this film. Though her character is odd, eccentric, and strangely artistic in many ways, it is still a good character to have in this blockbuster. Sam Elliot plays the narrator and sometimes appearing character known as 'The Stranger', and shows us how easy-going and kind he can be when he wants to.

The humour, my last mentionable department, is original. Every now and then, The Dude babbles in pot-head style gibberish that makes you guess what he is trying to get at. His self-referred nickname, or pseudonym, The Dude/Duder/His Dudeness, does not get old as they are used at good times and not overdone. Walter, ever the trash-mouthed Vietnam trauma victim, delivers vulgar and bold dialogue. The Dude, uncared for by others and sought as a 'pothead loser' by most, is often tormented by society, including a Cab Driver and the Chief of Police of Malibu. The pornographic referrences are almost satirical, and also witty. And finally, the few-and-far-between psychadelic dream scenes are so vivid and also so exaggerated (in a good way) that you think they are really dreams.

Truly, kudos to The Coen brothers for this work. It has smart, hilarious and creative humour, a complex but intriguing storyline, top-notch acting quality, and a pretty decent soundtrack to boot.

Final Rating: **** 1/2 Stars out of 5 / A

[bested]

I never knew there were so many "good" movies out there that I hadn't seen...

[Miss Carter]

I never seen this movie

[TheUnholyOne]

yeah, me also I can't this movie before.