After the tight plotting and quirky intensity of Fargo, this casually amusing follow-up from the prolifically inventive Coen (Ethan and Joel) brothers seems like a bit of a lark, and the result was...
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After the tight plotting and quirky intensity of Fargo, this casually amusing follow-up from the prolifically inventive Coen (Ethan and Joel) brothers seems like a bit of a lark, and the result was a box-office disappointment. The good news is, The Big Lebowski is every bit a Coen movie, and its lazy plot is part of its laidback charm. After all, how many movies can claim as their hero a pot-bellied, pot-smoking loser named Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) who spends most of his time bowling and getting stoned? And where else could you find a hairnetted Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro) who sports dazzling purple footgear, or an erotic artist (Julianne Moore) whose creativity consists of covering her naked body in paint, flying through the air in a leather harness, and splatting herself against a giant canvas? Who else but the Coens would think of showing you a camera view from inside the holes of a bowling ball, or an elaborate Busby Berkely-styled musical dream sequence involving a Viking goddess and giant bowling pins? The plot--which finds Lebowski involved in a kidnapping scheme after he's mistaken for a rich guy with the same name--is almost beside the point. What counts here is a steady cascade of hilarious dialogue, great work from Coen regulars John Goodman and Steve Buscemi, and the kind of cinematic ingenuity that puts the Coens in a class all their own. Be sure to watch with snacks in hand, because The Big Lebowski might give you a giddy case of ...
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(05/23/2003, p.35, Entertainment Weekly Staff): "...A masterpiece of anti-storytelling..."
Quotes from the Movie
Quotes from the Movie
"Nobody calls me Lebowski. You got the wrong guy. I'm the Dude, man."--The Dude (Jeff Bridges) to Treehorn's thug <br> <br> "That rug really tied the room together, did it not?"--Walter (John Goodman) <br> "Freakin' a..."--The Dude <br> <br> "I don't roll on Shabbos!"--Walter to Donny (Steve Buscemi), upon realizing he's scheduled to bowl on the Jewish Sabbath <br> <br> "All the Dude ever wanted was his rug back."--The Dude to Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazzara) <br> <br> "You're entering a world of pain."--Walter to a child <br> <br> "Are these the Nazis, Walter?"--Donny <br> "No, Donny, these men are Nihilists. Nothing to be afraid of."--Walter <br> <br> "The Dude abides. I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that."--The Stranger (Sam Elliott)
The Big Lebowski is the greatest comedy ever made, IMO. The cast created icons while the scenarios and dialogue are brilliantly staged by the Coen Brothers.
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