The Big Lebowski (1998)
★★★★½ — The Big Lebowski (1998)
Released in 1998, The Big Lebowski arrived on the back of the Coen Brothers' Oscar-winning Fargo (1996), making it one of the more eagerly watched follow-ups in late 1990s American cinema. Joel and Ethan wrote the script themselves, as is their habit, and the film is an original rather than an adaptation, though it plays freely with the conventions of Raymond Chandler-style Los Angeles noir. Produced through Working Title Films and PolyGram on a modest $15 million budget, it was shot largely on location around Los Angeles, with the bowling alley sequences filmed at Hollywood Star Lanes. Jeff Bridges had been a recognisable Hollywood presence since the early 1970s, but the role of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski became arguably the defining part of his career.
This film is the Coen Brothers at their best. They've put together such a great cast with this. Jeff Bridges, John Woodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore and many more. The writing is typical for a Coen Brothers film, amazing. Pacing is perfect. It's hilariously funny at times, written with perfect wit. I've shown this to a few people now who all say "it sounds shit" when I tell them basic premise but every time I've said "trust me" and they've then agreed it's great. John Goodman steals the show here, as he often does.
Rating: ★★★★½ | Year: 1998 | Watched: 2025-04-06
Where to watch (UK)
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Physical: Amazon UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Joel Coen: Blood Simple (1984) · True Grit (2010) · Raising Arizona (1987) · Burn After Reading (2008)
More with Jeff Bridges: The Last Picture Show (1971) · Surf's Up (2007) · True Grit (2010) · Crazy Heart (2009)
More from United Kingdom: Lessons of Darkness (1992) · Shinjuku Boys (1995) · The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) · Blue (1993)
More from the 1990s: Lessons of Darkness (1992) · Shinjuku Boys (1995) · Blue (1993) · Cemetery Man (1994)
More comedy: The Eagle (1925) · The General (1926) · Americana (2023) · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
More crime: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Angst (1983) · Stolen Face (1952) · Cairo Station (1958)
