THE BIG LEBOWSKI
Director: Joel Coen Writers: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen Producer: Ethan Coen
Characters: Jeff Bridges - The Dude John Goodman - Walter Julianne Moore - Maude Steven Buscemi - Donnie John Turtuno - Jesus Sam Elliott - The Stranger
Review:
For those who consider themselves fans (or perhaps scholars) of the Coen brothers' work, this movie could perhaps be somewhat of a disappointment -- not because it isn't absolutely incredible, but because I think it's more accessible and (though still noticably Coenian) less, shall we say, "quirky".
Anyway, I think that 85% of the critics' problems with this movie can be attributed to the success of "Fargo". I really wasn't much of a fan of "Fargo", but it seems that I am pretty much the only person who can honestly say that. I think my point is that you shouldn't go into this movie expecting "Fargo" (or "Raising Arizona" or "Millers Crossing" or "Barton Fink"). Where most of their other movies have humor that sort of peeks out from under a bunch of violence or weirdness or both, "The Big Lebowski" is a great deal more straightforward. Don't get me wrong, the film is actually quite confusing -- just not that weird.
The movie is about a middle aged, unemployed, pot-smoking, White Russian drinking fellow who calls himself "The Dude" and was, according to the interview included on the DVD, based on a friend of the Coen brothers, which I found interesting. It's the laid back attitude of "The Dude" that is the basis for most of the humor in the movie. Whether he's saying "Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!" as someone muscles him into the back seat of a car or trying to placate Walter (John Goodman), his friend and bowling partner who pulls a gun on the lanes, it's The Dude's drug-induced calm that makes you laugh.
The only thing about the movie that I really am not fond of is the presence of a couple of small musical numbers. Fortunately, they are easily overlooked and don't hurt the movie to a great extent. In closing, try the movie if
A) the idea of examining the life of a middle-aged slacker
against the backdrop of the kidnapping of a young trophy
wife is appealing to you
B) you like the Coen brothers
C) you like jokes about lanky, child-molesting bowlers named
Jesus.
Personally, I would go with "C"
- John Roberdeau
- john@dvdfuture.com
- http://www.dvdfuture.com/
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