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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...more
Actors: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve
Buscemi, David Huddleston
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: October 18, 2005
Run Time: 118 minutes |
