The Big Lebowski

The Big Lewbowski (1998) – Movie Review

Director: Coen Bros (Joel and Ethan Coen)

Screenwriter: Joel and Ethan Coen

Producers: Joel and Ethan Coen 

Studio: Polygram

Production Companies: Working Title

Top Billed Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Juliane Moore, Steve Buscemi, Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Tara Reid, Flea, John Turturro, Peter Stormare

LOGLINE: The Dude and his unemployed bowling buddies become embroiled in kidnapping and embezzlement with Nihilists, porn moguls, cripples and high society folk after some thugs break into his house and pee on his rug.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Cult classic, one of my favourites. I could watch this again and again. And in fact I do.

STORY: Brilliant! Slightly similar to other modern American farces such as Dude, Where's My Car or even Bubble Boy (with the different groups of characters' stories interweaving, most of them out to get the hero and the viewer never quite sure how it all fits together) but way, way, way better! 

PRODUCTION: Great production, the bowling ball vignette (short sequence that's seperate from the actual film) is famous.

PERFORMANCE: Seriously, Jeff Bridge's The Dude is an all time great performance. All supports are top class.

OVERALL: The Coen Brothers' best film and that's saying something.

MEETSLINE: too good for a meets line.

FAVOURITE QUOTES: 
"That rug really tied the room together."

Jesus Quintana: You ready to be fucked, man? I see you rolled your way into the semis. Dios mio, man. Liam and me, we're gonna fuck you up.
The Dude: Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Jesus Quintana: Let me tell you something, pendejo. You pull any of your crazy shit with us, you flash a piece out on the lanes, I'll take it away from you, stick it up your ass and pull the fucking trigger 'til it goes "click."
The Dude: Jesus.
Jesus Quintana: You said it, man. Nobody fucks with the Jesus.

"I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man."

"Walter, I love you, but sooner or later, you're going to have to face the fact you're a goddamn moron."

"We believe in nothing, Lebowski. Nothing. And tomorrow we come back and we cut off your chonson." 

RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT: White Russians or Kahlua and Milk and/or "pipeweed".

RATING:

4 1/2 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011