The Big Lebowski

Certainly, throughout the history of film, we have been given characters that will last our lifetimes, and onward to generations ahead of us. Only a handful that will surpass the rest and continue on as legends in time. One such character is Martin ‘Marty’ McFly, of the Back to the Future series. Luke Skywalker and his father Darth Vader will continue long after I’m gone. And another such character, defined so well, will also continue to define an era. That character is Jeffrey Lebowski, better known to all as the Dude.

This film is about a man with an unfortunate coincidental name match to a millionaire. Jeffrey Lebowski is a slacker who spends most of the time with his two friends, Walter and Donnie, at the local bowling alley. The Dude’s life is thrown into turmoil when suspected kidnappers of Bunnie Lebowski, trophy wife to the millionaire Lebowski, break into his home, and urinate on his favorite rug. Walter joins the team in their investigation, and things begin to fall apart. Walter’s constant memories of his experiences in Vietnam influence his actions, and complicate their search. Finally, German nihilists come into play as they pose as the abductors. And all the Dude ever wanted was his rug back.

As I said, one of the most powerful things about this film is the perfectly defined character of the Dude. I’m not a huge fan of the Coen brothers’ films, but this one seems to be the exception. And I am sure that it comes not from the writing, but from the perfectly executed acting by the cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Juilianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, Tara Reid, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Bridges portrays the stoner character of the Dude with such perfection, one wonders if perhaps that was truly what Bridges was like years ago. Goodman champions the role of Walter, a gun toting bowler whose memories of Vietnam seem to apply to every situation in life. Hoffman sneaks in a superior minor role as the butler to the millionaire Lebowski, played by Huddleston. Together, this cast creates a world unforgettable to the audience.

From a directorial and technical position, the film is very solid. The dialogue was consistent all the way through the film, and at no point did I question the motives, or lack of motives of any of the characters. It seemed to me that this film was put together by a very strong and smart group of people. I just wish that it had happened more often with these two. Though other films such as Fargo, and Lady Killers were decent, none seem to measure up to the Dude, and his adventures in southern LA.

If you’ve not seen this film, you need to. If you’ve seen it, see it again. It’s not the best made film ever, but it’s certainly amongst the ranks of best comedies. And when it comes down to it, we all will remember the characters. And when we need a break from our lives, all we have to do is pop that DVD in. The Dude always abides. 7.5 of 10.