Brilliant laugh out loud comedy

Rating: 9/10 (1 October 2010)

There have been a few movies over time which have portrayed private eye characters that are quirky, or losers, or both ... but this one takes that concept out into left field and then keeps going into some completely unexplored area way beyond left field.
Jeff Bridges ("the Dude") and John Goodman are particularly brilliant in their roles of bowling buddies setting out to unsnarl a kidnapping fiasco. Goodman is well known for his comic talents, but everyone in this movie puts forth a full effort in displaying their craft exercised to the fullest. I laughed out loud at more lines and circumstances in "The Big Lebowski" than I have in a long time during a movie.
There are bizarre circumstances, absurd conversations, acid flashbacks, and entire characters that you may decide aren't really there. I anticipated the "punch line" in the strange little funeral that Jeff and John held for their friend, and still had a tummy holding laughing jag when it arrived. I had somehow missed this movie for quite some time, so I am certainly glad I finally watched it. If you are a fan of offbeat, irreverent comedies and haven't caught this yet, this time is nigh! Warning, after this movie you may experience strange sub-conscious desires to drink white russians and go bowling.