Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, David Huddlestone, Tara Reid
- Rated R
- Comedy
- 1998
- Buy the DVD
Reviewed by Jason Zingale
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t’s been ten years since “The Big Lebowski” first rolled into theaters, and it’s still one of the strangest movies of its generation. It’s also one of the most oddly enjoyable, and though it isn’t the Coen brothers’ best work to date, it is their most original. A crime drama wrapped in the skin of a stoner comedy, “The Big Lebowski” may have a reputation for being the late night movie of choice for some burnouts, but it’s much more than your average pot film.
Narrated by Sam Elliot and starring an ensemble cast of some of the best character actors in the business, “The Big Lebowski” involves two different Jeffrey Lebowskis, one of which is described as "the laziest man in Los Angeles County” – a genial deadbeat who insists on being known simply as The Dude (Jeff Bridges). Introduced in a supermarket sampling milk from the carton, The Dude is a slacker who spends his days smoking weed and drinking White Russians, and his nights bowling with buddies Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi). To say he leads a simple life would be an overstatement.
One night after hanging out with the guys, The Dude is visited by a pair of thugs (one of whom urinates on his cherished rug) threatening to do further damage if he doesn’t take care of his wife’s mounting debt. The Dude calmly explains that he has no such lady friend, and upon looking around his less-than-impressive apartment, the thugs agree they have the wrong man. The Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston) they’re looking for is a millionaire who lives in Pasadena with his sex-obsessed trophy wife, Bunny (Tara Reid). When Bunny is suddenly kidnapped, the other Lebowski calls on The Dude to act as an intermediary to the situation, leaving him to deal with a suitcase full of ransom money and a gang of nihilistic German punks.
The Coens have a gift for creating and casting some of the most original characters in cinema, and "The Big Lebowski" is no exception. John Turturro, for example, is an absolute riot as Jesus Quintana. A flamboyant rival bowler who’s also a registered sex offender, Jesus has no real significance to the story, but he lends a certain quirkiness to an already bizarre world. John Goodman also turns in a great performance as The Dude's grizzled best friend, but it's Jeff Bridges who ultimately makes the film what is. In one of the most memorable roles of his career, the veteran actor embodies The Dude so flawlessly that you'll never look at him the same way again. Bridges is The Dude, and though it may seem like he’s playing any ordinary stoner, the way in which he approaches the character is pure genius.
Incredibly funny, yet admittedly stupid, "The Big Lebowski" isn't for everyone, but those that do connect with the film will find that, despite a seemingly incoherent plot, it's actually far more clever than it seems. The Busby Berkeley-inspired dream sequences will probably catch you off-guard the first time around, but then again, so will everything else. When a movie includes Julianne Moore zipping naked through a room on a ripcord and David Thewlis as a mysterious artist friend who laughs uncontrollably, a dream sequence should be the least of your worries. Of course, as tempting as it is to dismiss “The Big Lebowski” for these offbeat moments, it would be foolish to do so. This is one of those films that demands repeat viewings, because if you don’t know what to expect, you won’t find the humor in any of it.
10th Anniversary Edition DVD Review:
Considering the film was just re-released on DVD a few years ago, it’s nice to see that Universal has gone out of their way to make the new anniversary edition something special. Along with the extras from the previous version (a 24-minute interview with the Coen brothers and a featurette on the photo book that Jeff Bridges made for the cast and crew), the two-disc set also includes two featurettes where the cast discuss their roles (“The Dude’s Life”) and the legacy of the film (“The Dude Abides”) ten years later. “Flying Carpets & Bowling Pin Dreams” is a short look at the making of the infamous dream sequence, while “The Lebowski Test: An Achiever’s Story” features excerpts from Eddie Chung’s 2008 documentary about Lebowski Fest. Rounding out the bonus material is an interactive map that briefly discusses each location from the film, a photo gallery, and production notes. In addition to the regular two-disc set, Universal is also releasing the film in a bowling ball that, when split in half, reveals the discs docked inside. It’s a pretty cool collector’s item if you’re in to that sort of stuff, but only for the most diehard fans.