Your revolution is over Mr. Lebowski!

Rating: 9/10 (20 November 2006)

I've lost count of how many times I've seen this film and each time it seems to get better and better. Yet, the first time I saw this film I didn't think it was a great movie since I didn't realize the true greatness of it (in fact, I think no one did). This is because the movie is not about the plot or about the message. This movie is great because of its characters, dialogue and aesthetics, things that are most appreciated with successive viewings. It's the little details that will make this your favourite comedy of all time.
Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi are outstanding as the three bowling buddies and excellently supported by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore. In fact I think most would agree that Jeff Bridges and especially John Goodman gave award-winning performances. The dialogue is truly amazing. I mean how many movies are bestowed with so many memorable lines as this one? It is also truly unique. For a good-hearted and laid-back sort of film, to contain that many and different subtle references to cultural idiosyncrasies really says something. Finally, and I think this is what gives the movie defining cult status, it's the aesthetics. You can tell the effort made by directors and actors alike in carefully constructing each character. Each character has been embedded with a particular style and ethos which explain their way of going about things. Each character is both cause and effect of different generational prototypes mingling with each other in that psychedelic fauna that is The Big Lebowski.