The Big Lebowski

A case of mistaken identity puts a slacker (Jeff Bridges) in the middle of a kidnapping case involving a millionaire’s wife.

The Big Lebowski is the Coen Brothers’ quasi-remake of Howard Hawk’s The Big Sleep. Only, instead of a hard-boiled Humphrey Bogart, we’ve got a slacker named “The Dude,” portrayed perfectly by Jeff Bridges.

But the story is little more than an excuse to deconstruct the hard-boiled detective, much like Robert Altman did in The Long Goodbye, only with even more irreverence.

The supporting cast is great, and the film is littered with so many in-jokes and self-references that you’re sure to find something new with every viewing. Unfortunately this self-reference is one of The Big Lebowski’s few flaws, as it keeps the film from being as accessible as it could be. The Big Lebowski has a learning curve that can be steep.

That said, while some will no doubt be turned off by the language or lazy plot, if you look deeper there’s a real gem here.