The Hill I'm Prepared to Die On: Why THE BIG LEBOWSKI Is One of the Greatest Films of All Time
"That rug really tied the room together."
For those of us who come to life at any party where The Big Lebowski is referenced, it’s hard to fathom why, upon its release in 1998, movie critics dismissed it as “a story so incoherent, it can’t be explained to anyone.”
Film reviewer David Denby of New York magazine went on to say, “The Big Lebowski is an off-kilter thriller with a sad-sack hero. The Dude shuffles through life in a fumy, pothead haze; he’s so slack-brained he can’t finish a sentence.”
PUH-LEEZE. Miss the point much?
After crummy reviews and disappointing ticket sales, The Big Lebowski slowly gained traction with audiences who had simply never seen anything like it before. Roger Ebert, who gave the movie mixed reviews citing a plot that “rushes in all directions and never ends up anywhere,” later (sheepishly) recanted. By 2010, he was was forced to upgrade the film’s status to that of “great.” But many other critics were still put off by it.
Of course, many of these were New York critics. To be fair, they weren’t from Southern California and may not have rubbed shoulders with the likes of Jeffrey Lebowski. I have. I grew up there. Anyone who has spent more than a week in Los Angeles or its surrounding valley and coastal cities will tell you, Jeffrey Lebowskis not only abound, they abide.
Seeing the world through White Russians and marijuana smoke is kind of the point. There’s no self-loathing with these assorted Jeffreys, no angsty navel gazing about pushing back against “squares” and a society that values deadbeats about as much as a hemorrhagic disease. They’re fighting a war, dammit. Eventually. Once they get there.
Hey, The Dude just wants to get high and bowl. A guy like that is always late on his rent.
For the uninitiated (and I sincerely hope you’ll remedy that by giving The Big Lebowski a try), let me give you a brief rundown.
There’s the Dude (Jeff Bridges), “the laziest man in Los Angeles,” with his sockless moccasins and wrinkled T-shirts; Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), a Nam Vet given to flashing guns at people who “step over the line” in life and at bowling alleys; David Huddlestone as devious and self-pitying millionaire who shares the name Jeffrey Lebowski with the Dude, gambling-addicted porn actress Bunny Lebowski (Tara Reid) and Julianne Moore as Huddlestone’s feminist, performance artist daughter, Maude Lebowski. Philip Seymour Hoffman (may he rest in peace) damn near steals the show as Brandt, Huddlestone’s obsequious aide.
But I will admit something I have never stated publicly before.
When I first saw The Big Lebowski, I was confused and slightly put off, too.
There. I said it.
It’s often like that with me and Coen brothers’ movies. I had to watch No Country for Old Men five times before it finally clicked, and now it’s one of my favorite movies. But, by gum, I kept watching.
Coen brothers’ storytelling may be mesmerizing, but it’s often absurdist and borderline grotesque. You have to relax into it. Like The Dude.
Your first experience of The Big Lebowski might be like that, too. I suggest you watch it a second time. A third. Keep watching till you understand why Joel and Ethan Coen admitted that of all their movies, they liked The Big Lebowski the best.
After you finally give up your expectations of what you think a movie should be and let yourself sink into the bizarre, even Fellini-esque vision of what the Italians call i fratelli Coen, you’re never the same. After twenty-five years, The Big Lebowski still holds up, which is always the sign of a masterpiece.
Film director Rian Johnson described The Big Lebowski as a “grower,” a film that you appreciate only after repeated viewings. I lost count at fifty. But if you want to see why it is now widely considered to be one of the greatest American comedy classics, wait no longer.
Do you have a favorite scene from The Big Lebowski? If so, I want to hear about it! Say it loud and proud in the comments section below.
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I've only seen the movie once, but I loved it and fully understand why it's gained cult status. The Dude is an icon, there are plenty of memorable one-liners, and John Goodman was outstanding. Someday I may even watch it again...and I HATE re-watching movies.
On Roger Ebert’s defense (may he Rest In Peace), he did elaborate on his first review. He wrote “Although some may say the movie goes in all directions but doesn’t end up anywhere, well, that’s not a flaw. That’s the movie’s main charm. I concur. And that’s like, uh, my opinion man!