THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) - ♦♦♦♦♦
Directed by - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Written by - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring - Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro
"The story of a laid back, white russian drinking and irreparably lazy man who becomes embroiled in a botched kidnapping after he is mistaken for a millionaire with whom he shares the name Lebowski. Following this bizarre and random event, instead of backing off, he decides to take a stand and seek restitution for his damaged rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help him get it.
The Big Lebowski takes place in sunny Los Angeles, shot in scorching golden radiance by cinematographer Richard Deakins. The visual approach makes the film seem even more like a post modernist potboiler. However, it's hard to categorize the film as just that. This is due to a number of reasons.
One of these comes from the narrative itself, that feels like a rapid succession of surreal events. It is almost as if the Coens were less interested in the plot than the character goals and the atmosphere of the film. Or rather, it might be more right to say, that by focusing the narrative on its bizarre and eccentric nature by highlighting its collective absurdity, the plot is almost a mcguffin, much like the damaged rug, in the wider scheme of revealing with genuineness the unlikely redemption of a group of men that, headed by the iconic robe wearing Dude - played Jeff Bridges in arguably his most iconic turn ever - represent a bunch of politically incorrect antiheroes, marginalized by a society and representing everything that society teaches one to despise.
To do so, the Coens enlist an incredible cast, who deliver excellent performances in their colourful characters. They also make use of a sense of humour that is at once deadpan and eccentric, a certain driving force in the film that adds entertainment and laughs to its mystery, while its intelligence ensures that The Big Lebowski will contain many surprises upon repeated viewings."
Thriller, USA/UK
