Everyone should see a Coen brothers movie to see if they like their style, their humor, the actors, and for the laughs. The Big Lebowski might be my favorite of their films due to how funny the film is, the absurdity of the plot, and the performances of numerous cast members. I have been a fan of Joel and Ethan Coen since Raising Arizona (1987 starring Nicolas Cage) which they also wrote and directed and I rewatched The Big Lebowski because I knew what I was getting into. Their films have multiple layers, you can just listen to the plot and enjoy or watch the performances and be impressed or look for the tiniest of details and be amazed. On a comedic note, this includes the various methods of getting a laugh including the laid back nature of the lead played by Jeff Bridges, or the over reactions of his friend played by John Goodman, or the fact that the whole movie is really tied together by a rug. Music helps build the tension in a few scenes to hilarious proportions, in fact much of the serious moments are equal parts funny, so you can choose how to feel about this film. Quite a mix of music in the film, (T Bone Burnett was the music consultant), including tracks by Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, CCR, Elvis Costello, Santana, The Eagles, and the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. This film is one of the best examples of a cult movie, having built a larger audience since coming out of the initial theatre run.

Easily quotable, The Big Lebowski has as many humorous parts as visual treats (such as the dream sequence which inspired some of the cover art for physical media copies). Popular camera movements in the film were slow zooms and pans, letting the actor work their magic while adding another feeling by always having what is in frame change. Similar to the various music tracks and cast, the deliveries of laughs, the lighting (especially outside the bowling alley) and camera movements create a well produced motion picture if you find it funny or not. I have come to realize lately some of my favorite laughs come from voice overs played while seeing a different character(s), such as the answering machine bit in this film. Also having a lead like Jeff Bridges makes the film complete because he knows exactly how much to insert himself into each scene. Much like his character knows (or appears to know) how to play all the other characters off of each other and not look worried, he owns the most screen time but shares the laughs and takes a back seat when he needs to in order to support other characters. An actor with a selfish ego would not have been so accommodating but he is a professional having been in the business his whole life thanks to actor father Lloyd Bridges. Jeff also used much of his own clothing for the film, would rub his eyes before filming if his character’s state of mind required it, and has toured with a band named The Abiders, a reference to a repeated line in the movie.

1998, 14A, 1h 57m
Distributor – Gramercy
Budget – $15 million

Cast & Crew
Writer and director brothers Ethan and Joel Coen previously made Fargo (1996 starring Frances McDormand who won an Oscar for best actress, the Coens won one for best writing), next made O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000 starring George Clooney, the film was nominated for 2 Oscars, best writing and best cinematography), most recently made Hail, Caesar! (2016 starring Josh Brolin), and are currently developing a western tv mini-series The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. Jeff Bridges previously acted in The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996 with Barbra Streisand) and was next seen in Arlington Road (1999 with Tim Robbins). John Goodman was previously in Blues Brothers 2000 (with Dan Aykroyd) and Fallen (1998 with Denzel Washington) and would soon be seen in Bringing Out the Dead (1999 starring Nicolas Cage). Julianne Moore was previously in Boogie Nights (1997 with Mark Wahlberg) and would next be seen in Psycho (1998 with Vince Vaughn). Other notable appearances in the film included Steve Buscemi (same year as Armageddon with Bruce Willis and The Big Lebowski costar Peter Stormare), Philip Seymour Hoffman (same year as Patch Adams with Robin Williams), Tara Reid (1 year before American Pie with Jason Biggs), Sam Elliott (same year as The Hi-Lo Country with Billy Crudup), and John Turturro (same year as Rounders with Matt Damon). John Turturro is also directing and starring in a spin off movie based on his character from The Big Lebowski, Going Places (the Coens are not involved with the production but did give their blessings).

Links
IMDB – 8.2
Box Office Mojo
Wikipedia

Spoilers
(please do not continue reading if you have not seen the movie and do not want to read a spoiler)

The film starts with a song playing about a tumbleweed as you are watching a tumbleweed blow through a town, I also chuckled every time The Dude slurped a white Russian out of his moustache. One of my favorite laughs was seeing The Dude hammer the wood into the floor to hold a chair up against the door, only to have the door instantly open the other way, and be seen again later once he trips over it. Such an insignificant part of the entire movie but when you have a film like this that has so many little quality moments, it makes for such a well rounded film. Having an opera scene gels well with the instrumentally complimented sequences, and gives a surreal feel to the film and is a clever way to hint at a head injury or a drug induced hallucination. Another reason why I appreciate this film is how important the dialogue is and how each of the characters have a unique method in delivery. While The Dude is laid back but still speaks up for himself, Julianne Moore’s Maude Lebowski is cold yet agreeable, and John Goodman’s Walter is angry yet supportive, every character seems to be the lead in their own picture. When The Dude, Walter, and Donny are talking, it is fun (and almost too distracting) as they have multiple conversations between them at the same time. Basing so many of the plot developments on what is spoken is fine when you have talented actors like this cast delivering them and quality writers such as the Coen brothers.