I know, I know...

I realize that the new review for The Big Lebowski is not one of the movies on the list of movies I want to review.  I'm given to whims and I just watched The Big Lebowski last night.  So this is the review you get.

The Big Lebowski

What makes The Big Lebowski such a wonderfully delightful film? Is it the Cohen Brother's flair for shooting everyday scenery with such an artful eye for composition and camera movement? Is it the ludicrous series of events that unfold during its madcap plot? Is it the spot-on perfect performances by Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and, yes even Steve Buscemi, who speaks less than ten lines in the whole movie but says more with an expression than most actors can say with pages of dialog. Perhaps its all of these things and more. Running through the center of this darkly comic, neo-noir is a tender statement about friendship that goes unspoken and unnoticed by most critics in all the reviews I've read.

The plot, which takes place in Los Angeles in 1991 (a time and place pivotal to the tone of the film), revolves around the (possible) kidnapping of the wife of a wealthy businessman who happens to share the name Jeffery Lebowski with the main character played by Jeff Bridges. "Played" does not do his performance justice. Jeff Bridges so inhabits the body of this character that its impossible to imagine the movie with anyone else cast in the role. Bridges' Lebowski is a long-haired, bathrobe wearing, unemployed burn-out from the 70's who drinks White Russians, always seems to be able to scrounge up a roach to smoke and who's main pastime is bowling. He refers to himself as "The Dude" and this is what his friends call him.

His friends (and bowling partners) are Walter Sobchak (Goodman) and Donny Kerabatsos (Buscemi). Walter is an emotionally unstable Vietnam veteran and Donny is the passive "third wheel" who seems to exist only to be verbally abused by Walter whenever he tries to get caught up on the conversation. For all their shouting and cursing at each other, these three share a tight bond that only becomes apparent after viewing the entire movie. They have no one else and accept one another, warts and all, without exception. Their friendship is what gives the movie its heart, and is why you keep coming back to it even after you know all its secrets and laughs.

Because he shares his name with the titular Big Lebowski and because the Big Lebowski's wife, Bunny, has amassed a rather sizable debt to a pornographer by the name of Jackie Treehorn, a couple of thugs break into The Dude's apartment, rough him up a bit and pee on his rug. As he discusses this turn of events with Walter and Donny, the soiled rug is lamented as it was a "valued rug." "It really tied the room together." So a plan is hatched to get the rug replaced by the Big Lebowski. After all it was his rug they were trying to pee on. This leads to The Dude becoming entangled in a labyrinthine plot involving kidnapping, ransom, German nihilists, extortion, double crosses, self-important artists, private eyes and a mysterious cowboy. It plays out like a stoned, slacker version of Raymond Chandler and is simply amazing in its ability to be charming, brash, hilarious and poignant at the same time.

On the periphery are smaller but no less important characters. The Big Lebowski's assistant, Brandt (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is expertly portrayed with a brilliant sense of comic timing. John Turturro is Jesus, a flamboyant Cuban who will be bowling against The Dude, Walter and Donny in their league semi-finals. He refers to himself in third person using the English pronunciation of his name and commands the screen in his few, brief scenes. Finally there is Maude Lebowski, (Julianne Moore) daughter to the Big Lebowski. A self-proclaimed feminist and avant-garde painter who's work has "been called strongly vaginal." All of these characters add color to a film already overflowing with personality.

As the plot unfolds, The Dude's car is slowly destroyed, his friends try to help him and mysteries are solved. Throughout it all the depth of The Dude's and Walter's, and yes Donny's, friendship becomes more and more apparent. When the film hits a sad note at the end and Donny dies, the sense of loss is palpable. The Dude and Walter are Donny's only bereaved and are left to deal with the arrangements for his ashes. This leads to a scene that is at once funny and touching. The script is expertly written so that the friendship element is alluded to as a natural part of the story rather than cramming it down your throat.

Of course the movie is filled with the Cohen's typical, quirkiness. Not least of which is the cowboy who narrates the story known only as The Stranger, played by Sam Elliot with an awesome mustache. He bookends the film with voice overs and even crosses paths with The Dude a few times at the bowling alley bar. Where else would a cowboy get a good sarsaparilla? His reason for existing within the movie is never explained and the movie is better for his presence.

It should also be mentioned that there is a lot of bowling in this movie. A lot of bowling. Much of the movie takes place in a bowling alley. Never before has the act of bowling been so lovingly filmed. The Cohens take what is considered by many to be a blue-collar sport and turn it into a thing of beauty.

My hero, Roger Ebert just added The Big Lebowski to his list of Great Movies and I say its about time. When he first reviewed it he gave it three stars. It is a movie that gets better every time you watch it. The adventures of The Dude, Walter and Donny are not inspirational, but they do make for a good trip. And they have brought the world an invaluable ethos. When life gets hard, say "fuck it, let's go bowling."