If you will it dude, such a great movie is no dream

Rating: 10/10 (5 July 2000)

Since I saw The Big Lebowski for the first time in the movie theaters over two years ago (I saw it twice in the theaters), I have probably watched it between 50-75 times. I was awed by the overall atmosphere the movie conveyed upon first viewing, and was shocked that every subsequent time I saw it, it just got better and better. Even to this today, I notice something new and different upon each viewing.
Critics who complain that the movie doesn't have a plot miss the point. First of all, there is a plot, albeit a wacky and zany one (a Coen Brother's trademark), that many people may not fully understand on first viewing. Second, the plot is only there to serve as a background for the amazing characters, scenes, and dialogue that the movie focuses on. The interplay between `The Dude' & `Walter' is absolutely hysterical. Just one example that comes to mind (I could've picked just about any bowling scene) is Walter commenting on the Gulf War, comparing `the man in the black pagamas' to the current adversary, `a bunch of f**eaters where towels on their heads, trying to find reserve on a Russian tank' while The Dude is painting his nails.
I could go on and on about my favorite scenes, but I'd just have to recite the entire movie, because every single scene is so exceptional. From the repeated dialogue (`this aggression will not stand', `chinamen', `Pilar'), to the incredible fadeouts and transitions (`that wasn't here toe, dude'), you really have to see it multiple times to understand just how incredibly well-crafted this movie really is.
In my mind, The Big Lebowski is the best of the Coen Bros.' movies, outdistancing Barton Fink. That is an enormous compliment, because I love all their movies. It is also possibly the funniest movie I have ever seen, and holds a spot in my top ten movies of all time.
Arthur Digby Sellers!!!