The Big Lebowski

Year: 1998
Running time: 117 minutes
Certificate: 18
Language: English
Screenplay: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, Peter Stormare, John Turturro, Sam Elliott

The Dude and his friends are unimpressed by their latest lane rival.

The Big Lebowski is possibly my favourite Coen brothers film (although Fargo and O Brother, Where Art Thou? do give it a run for its money). From the opening frame until the credits roll it is a joy to watch. The Dude (Jeff Bridges) is a spaced out bum and Walter (John Goodman) is ‘an asshole’, as the Dude reminds him on occasion. Along with Donnie (Steve Buscemi), Dude and Walter spend their days bowling and talking about nothing very much. That is until Dude gets a visit from a couple of thugs (Philip Moon and Mark Pellegrino) trying to recover money owed by, apparently, Dude's wife. The misunderstanding comes from the fact that The Dude's real surname is 'Lebowski', which is something he has in common with a very different Lebowski (David Huddleston), the 'Big Lebowski' of the title. It is the Big Lebowski's wife Bunny (Tara Reid) whom owes the money. When they realise their mistake, the two thugs leave, but not before one of them pisses on The Dude's rug, which he then spends the rest of the film trying to get compensated/replaced.

The plot is complex, filled with twists and turns, but it is also completely irrelevant. The Dude and Walter will always manage to make it more complex than it is. When Dude gets roped into to a plan to rescue the kidnapped Bunny, the throwaway comment that she probably kidnapped herself leads them down a path of bizarre assumptions and uniquely odd characters. This film is gold not because of its plot, but because of the interactions between The Dude and Walter and the ridiculous situations they find themselves in. In particular, I love the way the Dude will repeat words spoken to him back as a question – "coitus?" in a forever dazed and confused state. The story doesn't really start out that complicated, but when these two have finished with it, it feels mind-bendingly complex.

The supporting cast are as weird a menagerie as you might imagine - likable "Shut the fuck up" Donnie, artistic oddball Maude Lebowski (Julianne Moore), bowling rival Jesus – not that one (John Tuturro), uptight assistant to The Big Lebowski Brandt (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and even Bunny Lebowski herself for the short time she's on screen as well as a slew of others, the Coens and their actors turn potentially forgettable and obnoxious characters into works of comedy art.

So long, Donnie.

The writing is sublime, tying the paths of the characters together in knots, stringing Dude and Walter along with it. In particular, there are two rather throwaway moments (although, as mentioned, most of the plot is made up of moments that feel rather throwaway) that I adore, being The Stranger (Sam Elliott) asking the Dude if he needs to use "so many cuss words", only for the Dude to reply: “What the fuck are you talking about?” and the perfect scene where, following Donnie's unfortunate demise, Walter releases his ashes on the top of a windy cliff (not a good idea). This moment is both hilarious and surprisingly moving as the two friends grieve for their lost buddy in their own odd way.

I don't think it's too much to sum up by saying The Big Lebowski is pretty simply comedy genius through and through.

Score: 9/10

The vast majority of reviews out there as full of praise as I am - Roger Ebert's review was just one example. More interesting however, is this review from Todd at Variety, which I think defines the phrase 'missing the point' more perfectly than anything I've ever seen.