The Big Lebowski

WHOAAAAA!!!!! This blog has three followers now, watch out Perez! Seeing as I have a bit of a cult following now, three strong, I want to review what I consider to be the greatest cult classic film of all time. I present you with the cinematic genius that is The Big Lebowski.

The Dude, Dude, El Duderino, his Dudliness, Jefferey Lebowski. The Dude goes by many names and it is for that reason he has propelled himself into records as one of the greatest American characters in cinema. He pays for milk in checks and bowls like it's nobodies business. The Big Lebowski finds The Dude (Jeff Bridges) being mistaken for another Lebowski, a much bigger Lebowski, and gears are set in motion that sends the Dude searching for a missing trophy wife and battling nihilists, yes, nihilists.

Joel and Ethan Coen are sick gods. What makes The Big Lebowski such a cult winner is its odd psychedelic dream sequences. One particularly groovy, Scooby Doo-eqsue sequence occurs after The Dude has been drugged by the porn king of Malibu, Jackie Treehorn. Quick side note, the Coen brothers nailed it with the names. The dream sequence features old music, bowling pins, and viking-clad Julianne Moores. It is so weird and so awkward to watch that I can't pull myself away. I know that somewhere beneath the grandpa laughs of Jeff Bridges and the checker box backdrops is a deeper message. 30 seconds into the scene, however, I am way to lost to even care about the meaning.

Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) makes this film what it is. He is a senile, angry veteran who proclaims his patriotism and his comrades' sacrifices at any time, regardless of his environment. He is also Polish Catholic and an observant Jew. Walter is a walking contradiction. He hangs out with the Dude, the epitome of laziness and solitude. He cares for his wife's dog, even after she divorced him. He observes the Sabbath for goodness sake! But Walter has the greatest lines in this movie "I don't roll on Shabbos", "Three thousand years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax, you're goddamn right I'm living in the fucking past!".

The Big Lebowski is an epic, comparable to the Odyssey, Huckleberry Finn, and Brave New World. It's messages ring true to this day, teaching us the importance of probably numerous things, but I will be damned if I can actually figure out what they are. Abide my friends, abide.