The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski is the latest offering from the Coen Brothers (Fargo, Millers Crossing etc) and it is amongst their finest work.
Jeff Lebowski aka The Dude, spends his life bowling, lazing around and just being himself — an aging archetypal hippie leftover from the ’60s (the kind with a beard and thongs who says ‘man’ a lot). The Dude returns home one evening to find two heavies waiting to rough him up. It turns out that they have mistaken him for a millionaire of the same name. It seems that the ‘big’ Lebowski’s wife owes their boss money. When they realise their mistake they leave, but only after one of the heavies “soils” The Dude’s rug. The Dude sets out to collect payment from the other Lebowski to replace the rug (“it really tied the room together, man”) and gets involved in the kidnapping of the Big Lebowski’s wife.
As expected, the story twists and turns, but it’s the quirky characters that really make the film. The Dude’s friend, the Vietnam veteran played by John Goodman, and Jesus (John Turturro) the Latin bowling king (who wears the most incredible purple jumpsuit this side of Graceland) are amongst the notable characters. Also, for anyone who remembers Kraftwerk (German electronic music band) there is a magnificent take-off of them.
All up, The Big Lebowski is fun, funny, and one of the best movies currently out. Its only flaw is the lack of the expected big bowling tournament climax at the end — the film has everything else, but what the hell, it’s excellent anyway.
Esther Speight
