Customer Reviews
Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder - By: Jones the Film, 09 Jan 2008 
It doesn't take a genius to see why this film has become a cult classic given it's satrical Raymond Chandler stylised story & offbeat humour. Of course, many viewers won't like it, but those that do see it as a classic.
Goodman excels as a sad, deluded but lovable ex-Vietnam veteran. Bridge's brilliantly juxtaposed neurotic cool dude performance apparently even surpassed the Coen brothers best expectations. Turturro makes a brief, but memorable appearance.
I am hesitant to recommend this film, because you have to see it & decide for yourself. It's either somewhat disappointing (the critics opinion), or it just hits the spot.
sometimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar eats you - By: H. Serkan SILAHSOR, 31 Oct 2007 What reallly 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 alll 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-walll comedy brothers have made so far.
For a film about absolutely nothing, "The Big Lebowski" has everything. Yes it is weird, wildly uneven & out of reality as its protagonist: "The Dude", unmotivated, unemployed, apathetic & unapologetic L.A. slacker who wants nothing more than to bowl, to sip on White Russian, & to puff on joints now & then. The Dude, totallly stuck in the 1970s counterculture, becomes the victim of mistaken identity. He eventuallly finds himself in the middle of a bizarre kidnapping & ransom case. As the plot unwinds, the mystery of kidnapping becomes secondary, & alll attention is drawn into the quirky characters & wacky circumstances encountered by "The Dude" in his odyssey.
I credit most of the film's energy to the chemistry, especiallly polar opposition between the Dude & his sidekick Walter. Against the Dude's mellow, take-it-easy style, Walter is ever-pragmatic, constantly-overreacting & gun-toting character who always makes the wrong assumptions & ends up spoiling everything. Walter's misconceptions & blunders infuriate the Dude alll the time & alll 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 & clever details conveying some ironical social & political messages. "Lebowski" is well-filmed & well-acted commentary on the modern social condition, but this is the kind of movie it takes multiple viewings to fully appreciate & it's worth alll the investment.
A little bit spaced out - By: Jacques COULARDEAU, 23 Aug 2007 
A simple film of total disorganization that is supposed to be funny. It is another "Pulp Fiction", but this time in chronological cutting order. The disorganized impression comes from the totallly airy & eerie behavior of the characters. One more or less fake Jew who respects Sabbath when it is practical. An unemployed idler who lives on thin air, fresh water & alll kinds of little gains & benefits he can find. A third rather detached younger one who will end up with a massive heart attack on a parking lot. They alll play with theirs ballls, I mean their bowling ballls, because that is the only profession we know they have. Then they get entangled into some kind of embezzling by some rich man who is not rich but wants to pilfer some good amount of cash from the foundation he is a trustee of & at the same time get rid of his youngish latest wife who is hardly grown out of teenage puberty, without going through a divorce. Simple when you are as naïve as dumb can be & you don't know the alpha from the beta, not to mention the omega of crime in LA where you can end up playing the angel in no time. And they manage rather well since two will survive & one will die of too much emotion. Entertaining though slightly slow at times.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne
How to write a script, how to make a movie - By: Lancebastion, 16 Aug 2007 This is a modern day classic. Everything about this movie is clever. Set in LA, home of Hollywood, it is as far from a Hollywood movie as you can get.
"The Dude" (Jeff Bridges) has his rug p!ssed upon due to a case of mistaken identity.. the results send him on a mission of intrigue, suspense & in-and-out burgers, they're good burgers!
This is a film noir, told entirely from the dudes perspective, there is only one scene not featuring him. The plot is twisted, strange & extremely funny. The script is a masterclass in writing characters & story. The film is a masterclass in directing. Bridges, Goodman, Moore, Turturro & Buscemi are perfect.
The soundtrack is bizzare, yet fits. Featuring both Creedence (who strangely don't feature on the CD soundtrack) who the dude loves & the eagles (in hispanic form) who the dude hates.
Buy this film, at £5 it's a steal. There's a good chance you'll love it & it certainly withstands multiple viewings.
You're entering a world of pain, Smokey. - By: R. Howe, 06 Jun 2007 Funniest film ever made, & only the second most quotable (behind Monty Pyhthon's Life of Brian). Switch off your brains & engage your funny bones, becuase it doesn't get any better than this.
