The Dude respects...and so do I.

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2008)

I was tempted to christen my summary line "All he really wanted was his rug back",but I came to the aesthetic decision that that would be a little too cute and arch. Or not. As such,I'm not even entirely sure what "The Dude respects." means,but I'm willing to take it as a good thing,and it seemed more fitting to preface a show so oddly appealing and unique.
Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski(Jeff Bridges,long past being the handsome blonde leading man of yore,blissfully slobby and relaxed)lives what one might think is an idyllic life: not employed,yet living comfortably in a Southern California condo,whose only real activities seem to be bowling(LOTS of bowling)and toking(ditto that). He drinks(and seems to get his sole nourishment from)White Russians and grooves to early seventies fare(mostly Creedence Clearwater Revival)and seems to coast on a seamless lifestyle,which is rudely interrupted when some greedy nihilists(led by the always reliable creepy Peter Stormare)violate Dude's rug and demand money from him. Of course,they've got the wrong Lebowski;a much richer gentleman,also named Jeffrey Lebowski(what were the odds?)is their real target and he(David Huddleston)becomes the target of Dude's compensation plans. Of course,this will get more complicated when Mr.Lebwoski's nympho trophy wife(Tara Reid,great breakthrough role!)appears to be kidnapped by said nihilists,making the Dude now a seemingly valuable "go-between".
After all that story,one would figure there'd be plenty with this film but oh no,there's still more,namely,the assortment of characters that the Dude has contact with: Dude's 2nd on the bowling team WAlter Sobchak(JOhn Goodman,grabbing some great lines here),the half-cocked Vietnam vet who also takes his Judaism VERY seriously;Donnie Kerabatsos(Steve Buscemi,recessive for once)the mousy third partner on Dude's team;Big Lebowski(Huddleston),a self-righteous pompous bastard with secrets;MAude Lebwoski(Julianne Moore,Euro-chic and severe),Big Lebowski's artist daughter and co-manager of the family trust,Jackie Treehorn(Ben Gazzara),a smooth porn magnate;Brandt(Philip Seymour Hoffman,when he was still a'anonymous"),a venal toadie for Big Lebowski;of course,the pea-brained nihilists and a mysterious stranger(Sam Elliott,for whom being a cowboy ISN'T acting)who frames the story as well as walks through it.
THe Coen Brothers have a rep for making films that don't stay on the proverbial beaten path,and more work("RAising Arizona","Miller's Crossing","FArgo" and last year's "No Country for Old Men" come to mind)than don't("Blind Date","Barton Fink","The HUdsucker Proxy" seem to fit that).This movie is veritable poster child for that. Adding to the effect of this movie--besides the writing and directions of Coen squared--are Cinematograher Roger Deakins and Composer Carter Burwell(who've worked with the Coens numerous times before),and their touches are masterful.
I saw this film again recently,purchasing it as a matter of fact. It doesn't get much "playback"(i.e. cable re-running)and it's even somewhat of a hard find for the video stores,and yet much of the imagery from the first time I saw it a few months shy of ten years ago has stayed relatively fresh. Funny and poignant,raw yet strangely sensitive,sentimental but not sappy,this movie(and I've said it before,but I think it SO applies to this)is a definite keeper. Another reviewer said it:this film's worth re-watching as many times as one likes and never really gets old. I most certainly respect the Dude!