Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore

Director: Joel Coen

Category: Black Comedy

Tag Line: "Times like these call for a Big Lebowski"

Rating: 18

Premise: Washed out bowler gets tangled into a web of deceit and mayhem due only to his name, which happens to be the same as another man, the real target for the blackmail. This isn't helped by the fact that his long-standing bowling buddy. John Goodman, decides he wants to play and begins to mess things up.

Summary: Well, if you have read the Fargo review you will notice that I told you to watch this movie instead. I hope you did. This is a fantastic film and has placed the Coen Brothers on top for the first time. This film really exposes their comic genius and story writing abilities to the max. The script is sublime and the direction smooth and faultless. There is so much stuff going on that you don't have time to stop laughing before the next joke hits you.
Of course, the fantastic cast that they pieced together helps all this. Jeff Bridges is just brilliant as the Dude. He really convinces us that he is a massive slob and is happy that way. John Goodman is also excellent as his Vietnam Vet. Friend, or so he reckons he is. It is Goodman who comes out with some of the best lines in the film "This is what you get when you f**k a stranger in the ass!" is just one of the many brilliant lines he gets to utter throughout the film.
Steve Buscemi is muted in this movie. This is more along the lines of a cameo than his role in "Fargo". In Fargo he played an integral part of the story, however, in TBL he plays a friend of the Dude who happens to be around for some pretty cool stuff, like the car park fight with the Nihilists', which includes a brilliant cameo from Peter Stormare, who has a bowling ball smashed into his face by Goodman.
Overall, I have to say that this is one of the funniest films of 1998 and an essential addition to your film collections.

Fantastically funny script
Such a brilliant casting job
Highly surreal dream sequences
Brilliant score and music choices

Cons:
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…um………..
…….hmm…..

Rating: 10/10