“The Big Lebowski” is a 1998 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, often referred to collectively as the Coen brothers. The film stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, a laid-back, unemployed slacker living in Los Angeles. The story is set in motion when two thugs mistake him for a different Jeffrey Lebowski, a millionaire businessman, and vandalize his home. As a result, The Dude seeks restitution for his ruined rug and gets entangled in a complex kidnapping scheme.
The film’s cast also includes John Goodman as Walter Sobchak, The Dude’s volatile and eccentric friend; Julianne Moore as Maude Lebowski, the daughter of the millionaire Lebowski; Steve Buscemi as Theodore “Donny” Kerabatsos, a member of The Dude’s bowling team; and David Huddleston as the titular “Big” Lebowski.
The Big Lebowski has become a cult classic, and its unique blend of humor, absurdity, and memorable characters has earned it a devoted fanbase. The film’s dialogue and catchphrases, such as “The Dude abides,” have become iconic in popular culture.
The film’s plot is loosely inspired by the works of novelist Raymond Chandler, specifically his hardboiled detective stories. The Coen brothers have described the film as a “detective story where the main character is not a detective.”
Although “The Big Lebowski” received mixed reviews upon its initial release, it has since gained critical acclaim and is considered one of the Coen brothers’ best works. It is also known for its eclectic soundtrack, which includes a wide range of musical genres, from rock to classical to folk.
Cast
The cast of “The Big Lebowski” includes:
- Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski
- John Goodman as Walter Sobchak
- Julianne Moore as Maude Lebowski
- Steve Buscemi as Theodore “Donny” Kerabatsos
- John Turturro as Jesus Quintana
- David Huddleston as Jeffrey Lebowski, the “Big Lebowski”
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Brandt
- Tara Reid as Bunny Lebowski
- Sam Elliott as The Stranger
- Peter Stormare as Uli Kunkel / Karl Hungus
- Flea as Kieffer, one of the nihilists
- Torsten Voges as Franz, one of the nihilists
- Aimee Mann as Nihilist Woman
The film also features appearances by Ben Gazzara, Jon Polito, and Jack Kehler.
Production
“The Big Lebowski” was produced by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Working Title Films, with Joel and Ethan Coen serving as directors and writers. The film was shot on location in Los Angeles, California, and the production design was handled by Rick Heinrichs.
The Coen brothers were inspired to create the film after developing the character of “The Dude” with Jeff Bridges while working on their previous film, “Barton Fink.” The script was developed over a period of several years, and the film was produced with a budget of approximately $15 million.
The film features a soundtrack that includes songs from artists such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Creedence Clearwater Revival, as well as an original score by Carter Burwell. “The Big Lebowski” was released in 1998 to mixed reviews, but has since developed a strong cult following and has been recognized as a classic of the crime comedy genre.
Reviews
“The Big Lebowski” received mixed reviews upon its initial release in 1998, but it has since become a beloved cult classic and is widely regarded as one of the Coen brothers’ best films. Here are some excerpts from both contemporary and retrospective reviews:
- Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, writing, “I liked the movie’s style and energy. I liked the way it jumbled its genres and the way the actors inhabited their characters.”
- Janet Maslin of The New York Times was less enthusiastic, calling the film “a winkingly ironic, lethargic farce that never achieves the comic frenzy it seems to be aiming for.”
- In a retrospective review for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw called the film “an uproarious modern classic,” praising the performances of Jeff Bridges and John Goodman and the Coen brothers’ “razor-sharp dialogue.”
- Rotten Tomatoes gives “The Big Lebowski” a score of 83% based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The critical consensus reads, “Typically stunning visuals and sharp dialogue from the Coen Brothers, brought to life with strong performances from Goodman and Bridges.”
Overall, while the film’s reception was mixed upon its initial release, it has since become a beloved classic that is widely praised for its unique style, memorable characters, and sharp humor.
Where are they now?
Here’s a brief update on what some of the main cast and crew members of “The Big Lebowski” are up to now:
- Jeff Bridges (The Dude) has continued to act in films, including the recent movie “The Old Man & the Gun” (2018), and he is currently battling cancer. He has also become an advocate for ending childhood hunger in America.
- John Goodman (Walter Sobchak) has continued to act in film and television, including the recent TV series “The Righteous Gemstones” (2019-present) and “The Conners” (2018-present).
- Julianne Moore (Maude Lebowski) has continued to act in films, including the recent movie “The Glorias” (2020), and she has also become an advocate for LGBT rights.
- Steve Buscemi (Donny) has continued to act in film and television, including the recent TV series “Miracle Workers” (2019-present), and he has also directed several films and episodes of TV shows.
- Joel and Ethan Coen (directors and writers) have continued to work together on a number of films, including “No Country for Old Men” (2007), “True Grit” (2010), and “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” (2018).
- Carter Burwell (composer) has continued to work on film scores, including the recent movies “Wonderstruck” (2017) and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017).
- Tara Reid (Bunny Lebowski) has continued to act in films, including the recent movie “5th Borough” (2020), and she has also appeared on reality TV shows.
- John Turturro (Jesus Quintana) directed and starred in the 2019 film “The Jesus Rolls,” a spin-off of his character from “The Big Lebowski.” He has also continued to act in other films and TV shows.
Fun facts
Here are some fun facts about “The Big Lebowski”:
- Jeff Bridges’ character, “The Dude,” was partly based on a real person named Jeff Dowd, who was a member of the Seattle Seven during the 1960s anti-war protests.
- John Goodman’s character, Walter Sobchak, was based on a friend of the Coen brothers who was a Vietnam War veteran and a staunch supporter of the state of Israel.
- The film’s famous dream sequence was inspired by Busby Berkeley musicals from the 1930s and 40s.
- Jeff Bridges’ character, “The Dude,” drinks nine White Russians throughout the course of the film.
- The film features several nods to classic films, including “The Maltese Falcon,” “Chinatown,” and “The Big Sleep.”
- The bowling alley scenes were shot at the Hollywood Star Lanes, which has since been demolished.
- John Turturro’s character, Jesus Quintana, was originally supposed to have a much smaller role, but the Coen brothers were so impressed by Turturro’s performance that they expanded the character’s screen time.
- The film’s signature catchphrase, “The Dude abides,” was improvised by Jeff Bridges during filming.
- The film has inspired an annual festival in Louisville, Kentucky, called the “Lebowski Fest,” where fans dress up as characters from the movie and celebrate all things related to “The Big Lebowski.”
- The film was not a box office success upon its initial release, but it has since become a cult classic and has spawned a number of spin-offs, including a book, a stage show, and a video game.
Box office
“The Big Lebowski” was not a commercial success at the box office during its initial release in 1998, grossing only $5.5 million in its opening weekend and a total of $17.4 million domestically. However, the film has since gained a cult following and has become a beloved classic, leading to multiple re-releases and a lucrative DVD and Blu-ray market.
It’s worth noting that the Coen brothers’ films often don’t perform exceptionally well at the box office, but they have been highly acclaimed by critics and have built a strong fan base over time. In fact, some of their most popular and well-regarded films, such as “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men,” were not major commercial successes when they were first released.
