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Actors: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Peter Stormare, Flea, Philip Seymour Hoffman
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Big Lebowski |
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Set in L.A. during the build up to the Gulf War, this hysterical movie is a film noir gone surreal. Imagine replacing Bogart with an out of shape, indolent, 40 something, unemployed stoner (Jeff Bridges) named "the Dude", whose life is spent drinking white russians in a bowling alley with his bowling league partners: an oversized and insensitive Viet Nam vet who is bordeline psychotic and needs some serious anger management classes (John Goodman) and a quiet, mild mannered idiot who is the butt of the psycho vet's temper (Steve Buscemi). The Dude finds himself in every single film noir cliche you can think of: random individual accidentally drawn into nepharious plot; he must use all his wits to survive; he gets knocked unconcious (twice); he must play several sides against the middle under the threat of torture (castration actually), he sleeps with a femme fatale, etc.
--J.J. Blair, Resident Scholar
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Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski gets caught up in a whole series of events after his rug gets peed on by men who think he is Jeff Lebowski, the millionare. He begins just wanting a replacement rug and ends up involved in a kidnapping, impregnating, and other events along with his friend, Walter.
--Kevin Davis, Resident Scholar
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A man rug gets peeed on and his car gets stolen because of mistaken identity.Then it is his quest to find the real Lebowski's trophy wife (she's been kidnapped for money). With counter offers from Lewbowski's daughter and John Goodman chanting conspiracy, it makes for mad capped fun. Is it ever clear who really kidnapped her? I think the macguffin like presence of the white russian is quite funny also.
--Kelly Alleman, Resident Scholar
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This movie is the story of a lazy, unemployed, middle aged stoner who is thrown into a classic private detective plot. 'The Dude' (Jeff Bridges)is accompanied by his vietnam veteran buddy Walter (John Goodman) in this hunt for the kidnapped wife of 'The Big Lebowski,' with countless characters that add life to the movie, such as The Dude and Walter's peterast bowling nemesis Jesus Quintano and the 'philosophical' lonesome stranger.
--Andrew Zoeller, Resident Scholar
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Lazy bums, violet bowler-Jesuses, german nihilists, marmot abuse, vagina-artists, cut toes; Coen bros. film has it all. Although the sotry might seem a little scattered and unfinished, the movie manages to capture so many outrageously funny parts (especially John Turturro's latinobowler Jesus Quintana) that it finds it's way among the winners.
--Tero Hakulinen, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of The Big Lebowski |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Comedy, primarily
Yes
Time/era of movie:
- 1980's-1999
Inner struggle or disability
Yes
Kind of comedy
- bungling cops/detectives
Battle with shrink/bum?
- wisdom from a homeless man or bum
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) average
- (man) fat
Events of movie makes character more...
- irritated
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) fat
How much in movie?
- 60%
- 90%-100%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- wild
- eccentric
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
- 40%
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
- German
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
- California
City?
Yes
City:
- Los Angeles
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
- bar
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- full of laughter
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- impregnation/reproduction
- seeing breasts
- seeing nude female butt
Any profanity?
- A huge amnt of foul language
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Classic/oldies rock
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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