That Rug Really Tied the Room Together Dude.

“The Big Lebowski” (1998) 8/10

“Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's the Dude, in Los Angeles.”

This movie is great—don’t let the 8/10 rating fool you. The reason I gave “The Big Lebowski” an 8/10 is because there are some unnecessary parts, and some that are just in poor taste, for instance, the Dude’s encounter with an adult film producer. However, that being said, the rest of the movie is absolutely great. It takes a certain sense of humor and is not for everybody, but this is the movie I could watch over and over and still laugh at every time.

Jeff Bridges (“Arlington Road,” “Crazy Heart”) delivers a great performance as Jeffrey Lebowski—a washed up loser who spends his days bowling and mixing white Russians. He and his friend Walter (John Goodman: “Coyote Ugly,” “Emperor’s New Groove,” “O Brother Where Art Thou?”) get sucked into a kidnapping and ransom scenario between a millionaire also named Jeffrey Lebowski and a group of nihilists who “believe in nussing!!!” (Try to read that in a German accent… It’ll make more sense.) The two friends make it to the bowling championships, while having to clean up the messes they inadvertently make and putting up with the poor timing and lack of tact of their third cohort, Donnie (Steve Buscemi: “The Island,” “Big Fish,” “Ghost World”).

While Jeff Bridges nails his role and really sells his character to the audience, the star of the movie is John Goodman. The way he portrays the inconsolable, anger-afflicted, Vietnam vet suffering from PTSD is perfect. Some of the rants he goes on—including a five minute fit about the fact that he doesn’t bowl on Saturdays because he is Jewish and must respect the Sabbath—are hilarious and really add to his character.

The Coen Brothers did a great job with the movie’s direction and writing—the characters develop, and the movie is fluid and well arranged. ”Lebowski” has some of the best one-liners I’ve heard short of Superbad. The way the nihilists go about unleashing their criminal mayhem and shouting at people, claiming they “believe in nothing!!” all while wielding samurai swords and BoomBoxes, is absolutely hilarious. It is very entertaining and leaves you feeling like maybe, just maybe, the Dude is a hero in his own way, despite all the antics and the mayhem.

Now I realize this is a cult classic and a lot of people have seen ”The Big Lebowski” already, but for those of you who haven’t seen it I strongly suggest you do at least once. Really, if you like German technopop, samurai swords, bowling, rugs that tie the room together, and seeing people follow the guidelines of the Jewish day of rest, you should see this movie.