Pass the Popcorn review

Rating: 9/10 (20 May 2013)

I, usually, don't watch the same movie several times. However, The Big Lebowski is a big exception to that rule. Very loosely based on real people and stories, this movie is full of details, subtle references and jokes. In fact, it's impossible to catch them all in just one viewing. Every time I watch this masterpiece, I always find something new. Thus, the Big Lebowski has the biggest re-watch value I've ever seen in a movie. Another astonishing thing is that almost all of the dialogue in the movie (besides one sentence that was ad-libbed) was written in the script. Which is fascinating since the F-word or a variation of the F-word is used 292 times; the word "dude" is used around 161 times and The Dude says the word 'man' 147 times through the movie. With these two elements in mind, there is no doubt that the Coen brothers are absolutely marvelous screenwriters. And The Big Lebowski is their best movie to date.
The Big Lebowski is a movie about an everyday lazy hippie-like guy named Jeffrey Lebowski aka The Dude. His misfortune starts when two thugs, mistaking him for another man, also named Jeffrey Lebowski and who is a millionaire, enter his house and try to extort money from him. They also pee on his rug. When they eventually realise they entered the wrong house, they just pick up and leave. The Dude, furious about his rug being destroyed, decides to take the whole situation to the millionaire Lebowski. From this moment on, one complication after another erupts. And the Dude gets involved in all kind of activities. The movie's narration is very film noir-esque: the movie follows the Dude in every scene and he serves as the audience's guide through the story. As a matter of fact, the movie's plot and characters somewhat follow the classic novel/movie The Big Sleep.
Since the movie's plot, just like the one from The Big Sleep, can get complicated from time to time, one may find oneself, during the first viewing, in a position where trying to follow every subplot means missing the small details that make this movie so perfect. Not that it is wrong, but in order to fully appreciate the appeal of The Big Lebowski, repeated viewings are an absolute necessary; especially since The Big Lebowski is ultimately a comedy and much of the humour is in the details. The characters also a very strong aspect of the movie. There is plenty of them and each and everyone is memorable and great. Like I said before, the characters, and some of the situations they get into, are based on real life people (and their stories) the Coen brothers met in their lifetime. This unusual combination of real life absurd situations and film noir structure is what makes The Big Lebowski so unique and enjoyable.
The Big Lebowski really has a cult status, it is generally adored by both critics and the audience. It even has its own multy-city festival, Lebowski fest. It can easily be found on most of the best comedies of all time lists. It also spawned one of my favourite soundtrack albums (featuring names like Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Captain Beefheart and Elvis Costello, among others). Speaking of music, the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea, also has a role in the movie. And The Big Lebowski features a fictional German electro band named Autobahn, which is clearly a homage to Kraftwerk – I found that to be a really nice touch. The only problem I have with the movie is the opening narration by Sam Elliott, which seems too pointless and long and it never suited me. Besides that, everything is top notch. It's a definite recommendation. Now if you would excuse me, I have to go make myself a White Russian.
Rating: 9/10 Read more at http://passpopcorn.wordpress.com/