Review of The Big Lebowski (1998) by Manicure — 22 Nov 2020
"The Big Lebowski" is not the funniest surreal comedy, but is at least the weirdest film noir I have ever seen. It has all elements of a "The Big Sleep" kind of investigation, but with the most bizarre characters and a grotesque sarcasm typical of late postmodern cinema.
The humor comes from the absurd situations and especially the quirky dialogues, but, as with most black comedies, it's more of a chuckling quietly to yourself rather than laughing out loud experience.
As a whole, the film felt a bit too episodic if not even pointless at times: the Coen Brother pointed out that the plot is not the focus, but they could have done at least a little better in that sense.
Once the case gets abruptly resolved, there is really nothing that ties all the scenes together, however memorable each individual moment might have been. It's an inimitably stylish, fun, and imaginative film worth of its cult status, but no matter how many times I watch it, it's not as hilarious and groundbreaking as all "dudeists" keep saying.
This review of The Big Lebowski (1998) was written by Manicure on 22 Nov 2020.
The Big Lebowski has generally received very positive reviews.
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