Review of The Big Lebowski (1998) by Nick B — 24 Jul 2015

I tried to see the charm in "The Big Lebowski" but just couldn't find it. This movie is just way too bizarre. I understand that the Coen Brothers are "The Coen Brothers" because of their unique style, but the mindless rambling of this script feels like a waste of time when compared with the Oscar-winning script of "Fargo" a year earlier.

It is unfortunate to see a quality cast that includes Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, and Philip Seymour Hoffman used to create such a mediocre result. They also introduce great characters like John Turturro's Jesus and Sam Elliot's "The Stranger," only to disappear with less than 5 minutes of screentime.

There isn't anything wrong with the acting; rather, this is a script issue. There is nothing wrong with a screenwriter using to profanity to create realism in a scene but this is a prime example of swearing for the sake of swearing, to the point that we become desensitized to the meaning of the words.

Several segments in this film have no purpose other than the glorification of crudeness. If they eliminated all of the unnecessary dialogue, the constant flow of profanity, and the random departures from the plot, this film would be 8 minutes long.

I actually found the story to be pretty interesting, ridiculous as it may be, but its presentation was too bizarre to make any connection to these characters. It is a shame because the rambling of the script distracted from a genuinely inspired performance by Bridges.

You might enjoy this film if you adore the work of the Cohen brothers; otherwise, "The Big Lebowski" will leave you disappointed, confused, and annoyed.