The Big Lebowski

1998 • 117 minutes

About this movie

From the Academy Award-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named...The Dude. Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski doesn't want any drama in his life...heck, he can't even be bothered with a job. But, he must embark on a quest with his bowling buddies after his rug is destroyed in a twisted case of mistaken identity. Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Turturro, experience the cultural phenomenon of The Dude in the "#1 cult film of all time!" (The Boston Globe).

Ratings and reviews

I'm a big Coen brothers fan and really gave this one the benefit of the doubt. Watched it again recently after having seen the original in the theater on its release. Now I have friends who go to Big Lebowski conventions, co-workers who have the bowling shirt, etc. I get the adulation. However, I found it a real chore to sit through. Ham fisted, obvious, even the vaunted Jeff Bridges performance seemed weak to me - _affected_. Definitely a few guffaws were had but in general this felt really dull to me.

No female I've ever shown this to has enjoyed it nearly as much as any Y chromosome. A ridiculous romp whose atmosphere belies its surprisingly twisting storyline. On the surface it is nothing more than a celebration of the lazy spirit in all of us, yet the film succeeds as a Seinfeld-ish study of the human condition. Or maybe it's just a fun movie.

It was nowhere near as good as everyone says. Maybe I just didn't get the jokes. I mean, I understood what parts were supposed to be funy; they just weren't to me.