What would you do if someone peed on your rug? Jeff Bridges, in Joel and Ethan Coen's The Big Lebowski, spends the majority of the movie answering that very question. For many years, the only thing I associated with the film was my dad's uncontrollable laughter at its mention. The Big Lebowski sounded like a movie about some Russian drug lord. When my dad would start laughing, I would picture some comical, bearded Russian man in a pinstripe suit with a funny accent. Boy, was I wrong.
The Big Lebowski is about a Californian bum named Jeffrey Lebowski, played by Bridges, who goes not by his real name but "The Dude." When he gets confused with an elderly millionaire of the same name and seeks compensation for his ruined rug, it seems as though his peaceful life of bowling with friends Donny (Steve Buscemi) and Walter (John Goodman) will never be quite normal again.
The movie was not very successful upon its release in 1998 but met with good reviews despite only making a couple million dollars more than its budget. Since then, much to my delight, it's developed a dedicated fan base, many of whom attend the "Lebowski Fest." First held in Louisville, Ky. in 2002, it has since expanded to multiple cities and consists of all-day, all-night unlimited bowling complete with costume contests, trivia, music and games. Sounds like a fantastic Spring Break to me.
I absolutely love this movie. Its humor, while somewhat unconventional, earns it a spot in my mind as one of the most brilliant comedies ever made. Bold statement? Perhaps. Among the recent explosion of comedies such as Scary Movie, Girl Next Door and Beerfest (I'm sorry guys), The Big Lebowski is a welcome change in pace. Rather than a comedy centered on hyperbolic teenage mayhem or obscene jokes, the Coen brothers' film is full of dark humor, idiosyncratic characters and an intelligently crafted plot.
Normally I would attempt to explain a scene that exudes the film's hilarity and demonstrates its perfectly cast actors. I could tell you about The Dude having a dream involving a scantily clad Julianne Moore dressed up as a Viking woman, Walter harping on his time spent defending his buddies in Vietnam or John Turturro's character making bowling threats in a purple jumpsuit. While I'm sitting here laughing at the thought of these scenes, it would be one of those times where someone awkwardly wraps up a joke with, "You had to be there." That's really the moral of this story -- don't be a bum like The Dude; go out, buy or rent this movie and see if you don't end up convincing others to watch it so you can quote it incessantly with a few of your friends.
One of my favorite features of IMDb (The Internet Movie Database) is the "Plot Keywords" section of a movie profile. Superbad's plot keywords, for example, are: "Kicked in the Face /Cleavage / Awkward / Hawaii / Hit By Car." What a way to sum up a movie. The Big Lebowski's include "Danger / Head in Toilet / Surreal / Ferret / Trophy Wife." Honestly, what more could you want in a movie?
So, what would you do if someone peed on your rug? Would you just chill out and go bowling, or would you attempt to seek out the man who was responsible? Such a pressing question needs answering, and The Dude's many adventures are worth the time. Besides, "that rug really tied the room together"
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