A wonderful film...with the word f#@$ used 102030841 times!

Rating: 9/10 (28 January 2010)

I tried watching this film on TV a few years ago, but I made the mistake of doing so with my kids nearby. In the first 10 minutes of so, I heard 'f#@$' (a word you are NOT allowed to use even once on IMDb) dozens of times. Realizing that the film was NOT family-friendly, I turned it off despite all the very positive reviews I'd read for it. However, considering I've seen all the Coen Brothers films except this one, I knew that eventually I'd get back to seeing it. Nearly a decade has passed, and I finally got around to seeing this cult favorite.
Considering that there are nearing 1000 reviews for this film, I won't bother discussing the plot--it's been explained to death. Besides, the plot, believe it or not, is not all that important. As a mystery film, the mystery is figured out early in the film. So, despite this, why is the film so good--good enough that I gave it a 9 and many consider it their favorite film ever? Well, the Coen Brothers' bizarre and surreal style really make this film and off the top of my head I can only think of two of their films I liked better, THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (their most underrated film) and OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (their film that gets better with each viewing). This is very good company, as these two other films are absolutely brilliant--and I consider THE BIG LEBOWSKI to be much more interesting that the much ballyhooed FARGO (which, inexplicably, won two Oscars--despite not being among the brothers' best films because it's way too normal--sort of like a Coen Brothers film for those who don't get the more bizarre Coen Brothers films).
What, in particular, did I like? Well, the characters were THE best part of the film--as only the Coens can create such quirky and unique characters. Simply put, there is no one like Lebowski in any of the thousands and thousands of films I'd seen before--and uniqueness is something I value most in a film. The alcoholic, lazy and hopelessly pathetic guy is like no hero you'll ever see in a film! The usual quirky characters are here as well--in spades! What I also loved were the little movies within the movie. When Lebowski got knocked out, you got to see his bizarre dreams that were more like films than dreams--particularly the one later in the film that just killed me it was so funny and stylish. Believe it or not, the dream is a phallic-filled song and dance film...directed by a famous porno director (though without actual nudity). It just has to be seen to be believed and only HUDSUCKER PROXY had stranger and more entertaining interludes. In fact, I found myself laughing out loud at this great scene...and a few more.
Overall, a highly imaginative and wonderfully quirky film with very little plot and gobs of cursing. NOT family-friendly or a film to show your mother (unless you DO want to give her a heart attack), but still well worth seeing. Oh, and by the way, the version often shown on TV recently is an edited version with many of the expletives removed. The original actors provided alternative words for the f-bomb and it's done reasonably seamlessly. Frankly, I don't think it hurts the film and you still get to hear words like penis which have not been changed.