The Big Lebowski [1998]

In this Chandleresque story about mistaken identity, a missing trophy wife called Bunny, white Russians looking to make a few bucks and an all-important bowling competition, Jeff Lebowski (The Dude) wonders how his simple life suddenly got so complicated. When the Dude gets a night time visit from a couple of goons looking to recover a debt from a wife he doesn't have, it's quite clear the none too bright dimwits have got the wrong man. When they realise their mistake they decide to soil a rug that "really ties his room together". Deciding the real Lebowski, whoever he is, should recompense him, he sets off looking for a new unsoiled rug but soon finds himself drawn into a complicated film noirish comedy of errors. Although the Coen brothers have made some fabulously entertaining films in their career that are usually as witty and sharp as a lemon wedge pocked right into your eye, perhaps none are as sharp and wildly entertaining as The Big Lebowski. Packed with characters to die for, the plot, for the most part, is not nearly as interesting or as funny as the pitch perfect performances and the hilarious script. Lines of dialogue so laugh out loud funny delivered with such conviction by Buscemi, Goodman and Bridges mean that like many of the '40s and '50s detective mystery films starring people like Humphrey Bogart that this film is loosely based on, the often complicated plot takes a back seat. It doesn't really matter if you are not quite sure what is going on because the journey, along with your companions, is such a pleasure to undertake. Although the story does eventually make sense and things are wrapped up with a reasonably neat conclusion, it's the getting there that really matters not the eventual destination. Jeff Bridges's eventual tombstone and definitely his obituary may very well have and make some reference to the "Dude", who has now become an American cultural icon. Lines from the film are now quoted almost as much as those from Withnail and I and The Rocky Horror Picture show. His portrayal of the ageing stoner who finds himself in a new confusing world where people have issues and agendas is beyond brilliant. There is very little to like about him in reality, he doesn't work, is usually very high, spends much of his life bowling and generally slobbing about in loose-fitting clothes, however, Bridges manages to instil the Dude with such warmth, likeability and good humour that it's almost impossible to dislike him. His dysfunctional relationship with his bowling buddies is a bit like a marriage that doesn't quite work but none of the participants can be bothered to do anything about it. The arguing at cross purposes, not really listening etc should be annoying in the extreme, but it's not it's very funny. As you would expect the mystery unfolds at a leisurely pace and not everything is as expected. Just like the best mysteries, there are a couple of red herrings to complicate things and add interest. The supporting cast including Julianne Moore, John Turturro and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman are fabulous and lift the whole production to a new level. The two drug-fuelled dream sequences are a nice touch that, although very different in tone, still manage to fit in perfectly with the flow of the film. These scenes are often badly done and stop the narrative in its tracks. Here they actually compliment it. Pretty much ignored on release, TBL now has such a dedicated following it may very well be the Coens most recognisable film, perhaps excepting Fargo. Superb and extremely funny.

A cult movie, a movie with its own fanbase and you can see why. It is not a perfect movie, having a few little flaws, a major credibility issue and too many characters, but it's not really meant to be credible, it is a comedy and a satire, and it is brilliant at both, especially the latter. This movie rips the Michael out of modern day LA and American characters with a passion for both satire and oddly, the characters it is mercilessly sending up. The LA stoned drifter, happy to live off anybody else rather than work; the selfrighteous Vietnam vet whose anger over rides his vain attempts to mellow out in new agey PC LA; the weasely big businessman who owns people, the sleazy Hugh Hefner like porn mogul, the avant garde arty types, the hangers on, even the fascist police chief are big Californian archetypes which are caricatured magnificently by the sharp Coen brothers. But even the side characters are vivid LA caricatures, a mix of weirdos and losers that cracks me up to this day. And lets not forget bowlers, who are mercilessly sent up here as is the slightly anoraky, obsessive sport they play. Wrapped up in a perfectly matching Chandleresque narrative, these characters come alive and show us how ridiculous they can be. The characters are really superbly drawn and their dialogue is brilliantly written. The acting is just phenomenal and once again the Academy is caught out ignoring comedy altogether as they search for 'worthy' performances for their Oscars. Both Bridges' and Goodman's performances were more than worthy of nominations for that year, and ten years on they shine out over the performances that won the things. The direction too is highly accomplished and should have been nominated, there are so many memorable scenes in this film it's silly. And then there's that amazing screenplay! And this film didn't do very well commercially or critically at the time, as some great movies just don't. I didn't even hear of this movie until at least 2001. It falls down on trying to be just a bit too whacky or arty, and in introducing too many characters. It didn't need the PI, and the German blackmailers were silly and overdone. They would have been better off trying to tie up some of the threads instead of just creating new ones all the time too, but the mock Chandler plot was definitely secondary to the great characters who inhabited the narrative. The visual and arty style of the film was very much what it was all about though, and scenes such as the bowling alley dream sequence were sublime and as good as any film art you've seen anywhere. The movie is a complete indulgence without a doubt but it is a breathtaking piece of work by all involved. A movie to watch again and again like all great cult classics and it doesn't seem to have aged at all yet. The soundtrack is spot on as well and this superbly crafted and hilarious movie deserves to be in the top 100 comedies, no question.

It is fair to say that this is quite a quirky film, but then I like quirky. The film is seen through the eyes of The Dude (Jeff Bridges) who experiences several beatings and a micturated carpet, because he is mistaken for The Big Lebowski, who happens to share the same surname. Along the way he meets an amazing collection of strange characters, many of whom want to beat him up and trash his car or his apartment. The Dude is really laid back and amiable and ambles through the film drinking White Russians and smoking joints, accompanied by his bowling buddies, Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Busceni). Walter is a Vietnam veteran, has anger issues and a tendency to make any situation far worse than it needs to be. The plot revolves around looking for the big Lebowski's "kidnapped" trophy wife, Bunny but in reality, the plot is really incidental. It is the awful people that The Dude meets, the situations he gets into and the dialogue that really lifts the film out of the ordinary and makes it so special. The film twists and turns and you really don't know what is coming next. There are dream sequences, nihilist Germans, a woman painting naked from overhead wires and thugs peeing on his carpet. What more do you want? This is a really good film that is entertaining to watch and is interesting enough to support repeat viewing.

It's hard to pick out one favorite line of dialogue in particular for two reasons. One-almost everything said in this film is downright hilarious. And Two-the F word is spoken 281 times so there's not many sentences that don't contain it. 144 sentences also end in 'man'. I also like how the characters unintentionally use each other's repeating catchphrases. Jeff 'The Dude' Lebowski is a man living a minimalistic existence. He has no job, no ambitions and no worries. His days, be they weekdays or weekends, are spent bowling, driving around or having the occasional acid flashback. His pals are Walter Sobchak, a security expert and half-crazed Vietnam vet and Donny, a humble, mousy little man who is left out of almost every conversation. The Dude is happy with his easy-going life of nothingness until two thugs ambush him in his house believing him to the OTHER Jeff 'The Big' Lebowski, the millionaire with a trouble-making wife who owes money all over town. These thugs are none too happy with their dumb error and re-assert themselves by peeing on The Dude's rug. This very much displeases The Dude as this rug really tied the room together and since he cannot track down the 'Chinaman' thug responsible he decides to take it out of the Big Lebowski, as it's now HIM who owes a new rug. The Dude is welcomed into the Big Lebowski's mansion by Brandt the butler, a man so appallingly sycophantic he'd make Weylon Smither's look bad. But his millionaire namesake is not so ready and willing to give hand-outs and basically tells The Dude to get lost. At this point things become quite complicated as a bunch of ex-pop star Nihilist thugs, a powerful pornographer, a dejected feminist daughter, a Brother Seamus (NOT an Irish Monk), a joyriding teenager, a revolting pederast champion bowler, Saddam Hussein, a mysterious cowboy and a doctor who is insistent on him removing his shorts all make The Dude's life suddenly a helluva lot more interesting. The plot thickens and thickens and the dude is dragged to dozens of different places across LA, going from limo to limo, never too far from a white Russian or a doobie. There are zillions of idiosyncrasies in this film that keeps it new and interesting every time you watch it. Every scene and every line of dialogue is so memorable that, like me, you'll be acting the film out for years. Even on a 100th viewing you'll notice dramatic ironies, character arcs and ingenious wordplay that went right over your head before. The acting is superb. I am a fan of Jeff Bridges but he completely disappears in this film. He truly BECOMES The Dude and shows little of his recognizable self. John Goodman, in probably the most under-rated role of his career, is the world's angriest man. Bringing frustration and smart-ass arrogance to every scene (though he's almost always right). Set well over a decade after 'nam (and during the first Gulf conflict) Walter seems to be suffering from perpetual, ever-lasting post-traumatic stress syndrome as he blows up in any situation. Take a look at his 'minor' confrontation with Smokey for example. It's not about plot, or even characters. It's about a certain moment in time, the early 90s. And the definitive man of that time was the Dude. The rug-peeing just happened to occur simultaneously. The Blu Ray looks great in 1.85:1 1080p with DTS HD-MA 5.1 sound and loads of extras. It comes in a Digi-Book but since it's twice as thick as their US counterparts (as is the rule in the UK for some dumb reason) it looks and feels...wrong. I'm not happy about it. But an otherwise solid purchase.

What really ties a movie together? Taut direction, terrific cast, well-drawn characterization, rambling narrative, immortal one-liners, offbeat plot twists, impeccable cinematography, impressive camerawork or captivating soundtrack?..... "The Big Lebowski" is rare kind of picture which blends all these elements together. "Lebowski" is one of the typical Coen Brothers films that you will either love or hate, there is very little middle ground. Not only one of the most re-watchable movie you will ever see; but also, along with "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", it ranks as the best off-the-wall comedy brothers have made so far. For a film about absolutely nothing, "The Big Lebowski" has everything. Yes it is weird, wildly uneven and out of reality as its protagonist: "The Dude", unmotivated, unemployed, apathetic and unapologetic L.A. slacker who wants nothing more than to bowl, to sip on White Russian, and to puff on joints now and then. The Dude, totally stuck in the 1970s counterculture, becomes the victim of mistaken identity. He eventually finds himself in the middle of a bizarre kidnapping and ransom case. As the plot unwinds, the mystery of kidnapping becomes secondary, and all attention is drawn into the quirky characters and wacky circumstances encountered by "The Dude" in his odyssey. I credit most of the film's energy to the chemistry, especially polar opposition between the Dude and his sidekick Walter. Against the Dude's mellow, take-it-easy style, Walter is ever-pragmatic, constantly-overreacting and gun-toting character who always makes the wrong assumptions and ends up spoiling everything. Walter's misconceptions and blunders infuriate the Dude all the time and all these situations are a laugh riot. Last word: Like so many of Coen Brother's films, there is much more going underneath. There are lots of subtle and clever details conveying some ironical social and political messages. "Lebowski" is well-filmed and well-acted commentary on the modern social condition, but this is the kind of movie it takes multiple viewings to fully appreciate and it's worth all the investment.

Brilliant performance by Jeff bridges, it's a funny pharce

The wildly unrealistic plot is entertaining. The movie accurately captures the mentality of a particular American social group that isn't mainstream or counter-culture. It is not young professional, middle class or criminal as too many American movies seems to be. It really is about guys who got stuck in an early 20ish part of their lives and can't move on. The exaggerated study of their behavior is good amusement. For older viewers it provides a momentary return to a earlier part of their life when they could afford to be less responsible. It is enjoyable and worth seeing; I don't think it was made with any intention of being great or a serious study but the characters and the construction of the film and cinematography are so consistent that it is a joy.

What an amazing film this is. Before watching The Big Labowski my life was a mess; I was working full time in a job that paid me so much money I didnt know how to spend it, I was sober 24/7 and had never even seen a joint. Now, thanks this Cohen Brother's work of genius I am drinking White Russian's for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper, smoking so much pot I can't help but smile and very happily unemployed. I have moved into a small, rented appartment that is humble but has a really great rug. That rug really ties the room together. I've ditched my old pals, they were just too damn straight man, with all that spare cash and no free time. Now I hang with my pals at the bowling alley, it's great man. Life has never been better. Thank you, Cohen Brothers, you saved my life.

Impossible de le lire

Exactement conforme à la description, arrivé dans le temps imparti, merci

The Big Lebowski von den Coen-Brüder ist ein Film, der direkt schon nach dem ersten Anschauen eines meiner absoluten Lieblingskomödien wurde. Der Film hat coole und schrille Charaktere, die man einfach nur lieben muss. Jeff Bridges als der Dude ist einfach nur perfekt besetzt. Er verkörpert den Slacker wirklich sehr gut und wirkt auch glaubhaft in der Rolle, als wäre sie quasi auf ihm zugeschnitten. Auch John Goodman als Walter, der den Dude immer wieder Probleme bereitet, desöfteren Wutausbrüche kriegt und ständig den Vietnam-Krieg erwähnt, ist genial in seiner Rolle. Selbst Steve Buscemi, der nicht viel in dem Film sagt, verleiht seinem Charakter allein schon durch seine Präsenz viel Tiefe. Der Film ist super geschrieben und gespickt mit erinnerungswürdigen Popkultur-Zitaten, die einem lange im Gedächtnis bleiben. Abgesehen davon punktet The Big Lebowski mit einem herrlich schwarzen Humor, der im Vergleich zu den meisten anderen Komödien zu keinem Zeitpunkt aufgesetzt oder forciert wirkt. Der Streifen ist zurecht ein Kultklassiker !!! Die Bildqualität kann sich durchaus sehen lassen. Den ganzen Film über bleiben die Schärfe und der Detailgrad stets solide, allerdings wirkt das Bild allgemein einen Tick zu weich. Da hätte man ein bisschen mehr rausholen. In dunklen Szenen kommt es auch zum Detailverlust. Der Kontrast stimmt aber allemal und die Farbwiedergabe ist natürlich. Zum deutschen Soundmix kann ich nichts sagen aber die englische HD-Tonspur ist sehr gut. Zwar sollte man nicht viel von einem Film, der zum größten Teil aus Dialogen besteht, erwarten. Dennoch punktet der Sound durch klar verständliche Dialoge und einer nahezu erstklassigen Soundqualität bei der musikalischen Untermalung. Die Extras liegen teilsweise in HD und SD vor. Wie bei vielen anderen Universal-Titeln ist wieder das tolle U-Control Feature mit dabei. Sämtliche Extras in HD sind absolut sehenswert und interessant. Die anderen Features in SD können sich auch sehen lassen. Ein Wendecover ist ebenfalls vorhanden Cooler Kultfilm auf einer guten Blu-Ray. Ein Muss für jeden Coen-Fan.

The Big Lebowski – ein Kultfilm ohnegleichen. Typisch Coen-Brüder: schräg, eigen, leicht absurd, aber diesmal vergleichsweise „familienfreundlich“. Gewalt ist hier eher Nebensache. Stattdessen wurde der Humor-Regler komplett auf Anschlag gedreht. Das Ergebnis: ein durchgehend amüsanter, herrlich entspannter Film. Und dann natürlich Jeff Bridges. Obwohl seine Filmografie schon vorher beeindruckend war, hat ihn diese Rolle endgültig in den Kultstatus katapultiert. The Dude ist ein Antiheld ohnegleichen. Irgendwie ein Vorbild – wir alle könnten vermutlich etwas entspannter durchs Leben gehen. Andererseits sollte man es vielleicht doch nicht ganz so handhaben wie er, denn wirklich funktional ist der Dude nun auch wieder nicht. Zur 4K-Veröffentlichung: Das Bild ist wirklich stark. Die Farben wirken sichtbar kräftiger als bei der Blu-ray, teilweise richtig schön knallig, ohne künstlich auszusehen. Die Schärfe ist bestechend, Details kommen klarer raus, und das dezente HDR sorgt dafür, dass Lichter sauberer gezeichnet sind. Man merkt einfach, dass hier mehr drinsteckt als bei der normalen Blu-ray. Beim Ton sind die Unterschiede nicht riesig, aber der unkomprimierte Sound ist für Heimkino-Fans trotzdem ein Pluspunkt. Es klingt alles ein Stück offener und sauberer, auch wenn hier keine Quantensprünge passieren. Die Extras sind solide und nett zusammengestellt. Aber wer die Coens kennt, weiß: Die Filme sprechen meistens für sich selbst. Bonusmaterial ist da eher Beilage als Hauptgericht. Fazit: Für Fans ganz klare Empfehlung zur 4K-Version. Wer den Film noch gar nicht kennt, kann auch erstmal zur Blu-ray greifen oder ihn streamen. Aber wenn euch der Dude etwas bedeutet – dann nehmt die 4K.

Si por alguna razón no alcanzaste el digibook o aquella edición en DVD contenida en una réplica de bola de boliche: ¡ésta es la opción! Incluye el mismo material extra que las anteriores y el diseño del steelbook es la neta. No reseño la película porque ya se ha hecho... y sobra decir lo que significa para muchos y muchas de quienes la hemos visto. Esperemos leer que se produce ya aquel gran pendiente llamado: “The Jesus”