#11: THE BIG LEBOWSKI

STARRING: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston, John Tururro, Sam Elliot, Tara Reid,  and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. Photography by Roger Deakins. Directed by Joel Coen. Originally released in 1998, budget $15 million. Running time 117 minutes. 

Thank god for the release of classic movies, cause I think otherwise I doubt I'd go half as often as I have been, the cinema just seems bereft of new films to watch, or at least variety and so when Cineworld threw this up for viewing I jumped. And I'm glad I did.

The story sees bowling-loving professional slacker Jeffrey Lebowski aka The Dude (Jeff Bridges) mistaken for local millionaire business man Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), whose ex-pornstar wife, Bunny (Tara Reid) has run up huge debts to local porn movie director Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazarra) who sends two of his henchmen to get his money back. Confusing Jeff Lebowski, the Dude, for Jeffrey Lebowski, the henchmen beat him up and piss on his carpet triggering a ludicrous and escalating series of events that drag The Dude into a world filled with German Nihilists, kidnapping plots, blackmail and the daughter of Jeffrey Lebowski (Julianne Moore) who is rather keen for The Dude to impregnate her, while a sentient tumbleweed called The Stranger (Sam Elliot) watches and ponders. 

I truly love films about nothing and despite an insanely stuffed plot, this truly is a film about nothing and it's glorious as a result. Painfully slow, filled with pure nonsense and perfect dialogue this is the Coen Brothers best film and certainly the most accessible. Jeff Bridges delivers in The Dude perhaps his finest character making him utterly believable and likeable, as a viewer you want him to succeed, he's just so good damn mellow and charming even if he's as annoying as hell. 

The story meanders along from one plot point to the next, there's the odd death, a lot of bowling and a series of beatings delivered almost exclusively to the Dude. It's filled with charming oddball characters and the relationships and some marvellous dream sequences, and yet for some reason, I don't love it, sure I really like it but it doesn't get a 10/10 from me. I think it's the length, I find my patience tested and my attention wandering, I sort of find myself thinking it could be a little tighter in places and I just wish that characters would actually finish their sentences. 

Still, it was great to see it back up on the big screen, but for the life of me I can't work out why this is an 18 certificate. 

8/10