Directed by: Joel Coen
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Sam Elliott, Peter Stormare, David Huddleston, Tara Reid
The Big Lebowski is the type of insane comedy that grows on you. It is as far from formula as you can get. Its protagonist, Jeff Lebowski (aka "The Dude"), is a guy who defies easy description. He is a dope-smoking, White Russian-guzzling, unemployed bowler who is caught up in the most ludicrous series of events in many a moon. Compared to most of the people in this movie, he is relatively sane and totally ill-equipped to handle the other nuts who seemingly occupy this universe with greater ease. A narrator (Elliott) attempts to make sense of things for the viewer, but loses his own train of thought. He realizes, as we do, trying to make sense of all of this will be a fool's errand. But, like us, he tries mightily anyway.
How The Dude (Bridges) is ensnared into paying a ransom on behalf of wheelchair-bound Big Lebowski (Huddleston) is something he never anticipated. Seems some goons broke into his home and soiled his prized Oriental rug, which may be the only thing of value The Dude owns. The goons were looking for the other Lebowski, but The Dude goes to The Big Lebowski demanding restoration of his rug. He steals another one and assumes that will be it. But then, The Big Lebowski asks The Dude to deliver the ransom for his kidnapped trophy wife. The Dude, along with his bowling teammate and best friend Walter Sobchak (Goodman), manage to screw this up and away we go.
Walter is as intense and loony as The Dude is laid back. Both performances, as well as the others, all fit just right. The actors may have been puzzled by what they read on the script, but they jump fearlessly in their roles. Bridges is a symbol of Dudeness, which means live and let live as long as he can just lay about and bowl at night. For The Dude, this kidnapping business is all such a hassle, while Walter itches for the opportunity to fight with someone. Their third bowling teammate is Donny (Buscemi), who is rarely allowed to get a word in edgewise. Also, entering the picture is Jackie Treehorn (Stormare), a porn director who may or may not have kidnapped Mrs. Lebowski. Throw in The Big Lebowski's artist daughter Maude (Moore), who creates Pollock-like paintings while flying naked in a harness. It is enough to make you lose your own train of thought.
The plot of the movie isn't necessarily as important as the goofy, unique atmosphere created by The Coens, who followed up Fargo by going in a somewhat different direction with this film. Like Fargo, there is a kidnapping and ransom drop gone bad, but that is where the similarities end. The Coens love creating oddball characters and meshing them with seemingly ordinary plots. Many of their characters are unforgettable. Years later, they would re-team with Bridges in True Grit (2010) and it was a less successful teaming. Why would they all stake their claim to a remake with already established characters? It stunted their inventiveness.
I admit I didn't get The Big Lebowski upon first viewing. Many people I knew praised it, but I dismissed it as a comedy only stoners would enjoy. After subsequent viewings, I can say I enjoyed its crazy world and I'm not a stoner. There is something to be said for a movie where The Dude hallucinates about being in a porno and the most exciting thing to him is a tower of bowling shoes. That tells you all you need to know about where his priorities lie. He probably wishes he didn't make a stink about his rug.
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