The Big Lebowski (1998)

Film: The Big Lebowski

Director: Coen Brothers

Country: USA

Released: January 1998

Runtime: 117 minutes

Genre: Comedy

Studio: Gramercy Pictures, Working Title Films

Influenced: Tarantino, Wes Anderson, Paul Thomas Anderson, Edgar Wright, Todd Solondz

The Coens have said that the inspiration for The Big Lebowski came from a friend of theirs who was a pothead living in LA who called himself, "The Dude". The brothers took great joy in imagining their friend being caught up in a labyrinthine, Raymond Chandler-esque crime drama, as they thought he was the least equipped person to deal with such a dangerous, confusing situation. Jeff Bridges actually met the real Dude for inspiration while preparing for his lead role in the movie. The Coen Brothers were also inspired to create the film after hearing about a real-life incident where a group of men broke into the wrong person's home and demanded money they believed was owed to them. This bizarre incident served as the foundation for the film's plot, which follows Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Bridges), a laid-back, unemployed slacker who enjoys bowling and consuming White Russians. 

After being mistaken for a millionaire with the same name, Jeff is thrust into a complex web of crime and intrigue. He gets entangled in a kidnapping scheme involving the wealthy Lebowski's wife, Bunny (Tara Reid). Alongside his bowling buddies, Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) and Donny Kerabatsos (Steve Buscemi), The Dude attempts to navigate this convoluted situation while encountering a host of eccentric characters, including Maude Lebowski (Julianne Moore), Jesus Quintana (John Turturro) and various nihilists. The Coens wrote the characters of Walter, Donny and Jesus specifically with Goodman, Buscemi and Turturro in mind. There are also memorable cameos for the film's narrator, Sam Elliott, whose deep and velvet voice is a joy, as well as David Thewlis and Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers. Moore as an avant-garde, feminist artist with a mannered accent is outstanding, while Goodman's outbursts and eccentric behaviour provide many of the funniest moments. As well as being a dark comedy, it's also a buddy movie, full of some of the most memorable, comic dialogue in all of cinema history. 

A hallmark of many Chandler detective novels – The Big Lebowski is loosely based on his 1939 book, The Big Sleep – is the private eye getting drugged, so the Coens felt they had the artistic licence to support the film's psychedelic dream sequence. The Coens used digital effects and composite shots to film the surreal Busby Berkeley dancing sequence, notably The Dude flying through the legs of the bowling-themed dancers. Cinematographer Roger Deakins was responsible for the film's exquisite look, playing a key role in crafting the earthy, 1970s-inspired colour palette and the bright, fluorescent-lit bowling alleys. If the plot gets confusing for the audience, it's important to remember that the Coens saw the narrative as being of secondary importance in the film to creating moments of sublime, absurd comedy. The film blends elements of film noir, screwball comedy and stoner culture, and its plot is a series of loosely connected events that confuse the characters as much as the audience. As The Dude himself says, "This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And, uh, a lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head."

While The Big Lebowski was not a major box office success on its release, it has since gained a significant cult following and is widely considered a classic. It's in my own personal Top 10. Perhaps its greatest legacy is the number of iconic quotes it spawned – "That rug really tied the room together", "This aggression will not stand, man", "This is not 'Nam, this is bowling, there are rules" and "The Dude abides", to name a few – and the various books, documentaries and academic discussions it's inspired. The film's cult following has led to annual Lebowski Fests, where fans gather to celebrate the film with bowling, dressing gowns and White Russians. I also love the film's soundtrack, from Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bob Dylan to Nina Simone and Townes Van Zandt. Bridges based his portrayal of The Dude on a mix of people he knew, including writer William S. Burroughs and his own father, and one of the movie's greatest strengths is his stellar performance. If you don't like The Big Lebowski then, "well, you know, that’s just like your opinion, man.”