Click for the big picture
The story gets rolling because there are not one, but two Lebowskis,
though neither of them can be considered big in the sense of 'great'. Lebowski
number one calls himself Dude and hasn't lifted a finger since his tour
of duty in 'Nam, except to score in the bowling alley or to roll a joint.
Out of spite, the Coen Brothers disobey an elementary rule of conventional
screenwriting and put an inert protagonist at the centre of their trademark
offbeat tale.
Dude is introduced as the "laziest person in Los Angeles". But he has
plenty of reason to act when he encounters Lebowski number two (David Hiuddleston),
who claims to be a millionaire and great philanthropist, when in fact he's
only administrating the money.
When the big mouth's Lolitaesque wife (Julianne Moore) is kidnapped,
Dude, of all people, is supposed to act as go-between and money courier.
Dude's army and bowling buddy (John Goodman) butts in with bludgeoningly
militaristic imcompetence – with just as much brouhaha, and just as disastrously
as Dude.
The Coens quote themselves, with their tongue firmly in cheek. It's
as if they wanted to tell their fans that, despite Fargo being a huge hit,
they haven't sold out. Coen-alumni John Turturro, Steve Buscemi and Peter
Stormare shine in guest roles, and the kidnapping plot evokes Raising Arizona
and Fargo. And as in Miller's Crossing, the 'hero' Dude is caught between
two warring factions, who are dead serious – humorously, of course.
Fans of the Coens' extravagant, intricate visual style won't be disappointed
– the camera is suddenly unbound by the laws of gravity and takes Dude
into an absurd fantasy medley which crosses Superman with Busby Berkeley
without blushing. And the moment when the camera adapts the point of view
of a bowling ball is really worth waiting for. Andreas Kern
Synopsis
As with their Academy Award-winning hit Fargo, the Coen brothers' The
Big Lebowski also hinges on a kidnapping and its ensuing complications.
With some irony, the filmmakers call it "a Raymond Chandler story for the
90s". It centres around ageing hippie Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), aka 'The
Dude', who is suddenly lifted from his easy life of rolling joints and
bowling, when kidnappers mistake him for a millionaire and demand money
for his release. Suddenly, Dude and his foulmouthed buddies (Coen regulars
John Goodman and Steve Buscemi) find themselves in the line of fire - of
gangsters, the police and a terrorist unit called 'The Nihilists'. Not
to
mention the dubious porn-flick producer Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazzara),
Maude, a millionaire's daughter, a loopy avant-garde artist (Julianne Moore)
and, of course, Jesus (John Turturro), who wanders around clad in tight-fitting
Lycra and tries to defeat Dude and his buddies at bowling...
A wonderfully entertaining, mad odyssey through Los Angeles and a razor-sharp
comedy thriller.
(Dir): Joel Coen (Scr): Ethan und Joel Coen (Cast): Jeff Bridges, John
Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, David Thewlis (Running
time): 113 Minutes
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