The Definition of Clever Sarcasm

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2004)

I'm going to start off by mentioning this movies falls at #2 on my list of best movies of all time. I'll also mention that I live by dry sarcasm and underlying suggestion.
Interestingly enough, I hated this movie the first time I saw it. Missing the first 10 minutes certainly didn't help, as I had a hard time following. However, nothing really stood out that I enjoyed.
As I watched the movie ~25 more times over the next 10 years, I saw everything that I had missed in that first viewing. And it became entirely clear to me the pure genius and wit that goes into EVERY scene and EVERY line of dialog.
This movie has the best character definition I've ever seen. Even though you can't necessarily identify with the characters, you feel as if you've known them for years within the first couple minutes of meeting them. Sure, they are stereotypical, but they are also brilliantly acted and portrayed, making them so believable.
Goodman gives the performance of a lifetime. Walter is so over-the-top ridiculous, and yet so surprisingly content as such, one can't help but to laugh at how seriously he takes himself.
And then there's Jesus. Everyone else does a top-notch job, but he steals the show. Two scenes, both equally outrageous. Costumed, acted and written to perfection.
If you find yourself disliking this movie, watch it again (unless you're easily offended by the *F* word). Let every line of dialog sink in, along with the way it's delivered. When you find yourself laughing hard at your favorite parts, rewind them and listen to the reactions of characters that you may have missed because you were laughing so hard. They are equally as rewarding.
There is so much to digest in the Big Lebowski, it deserves to be viewed a couple times a year. You will undoubtedly see/hear something you probably missed the previous time.