IMDb > The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Big Lebowski
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The Big Lebowski (1998) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 58 | slideshow) Videos (see all 15)
The Big Lebowski (1998) -- "Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.
The Big Lebowski (1998) -- The Big Lebowski demands his money from the Dude.
The Big Lebowski (1998) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Ethan Coen (written by) &
Joel Coen (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Big Lebowski on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 March 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
They figured he was a lazy time wasting slacker. They were right. more
Plot:
"Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 7 nominations more
User Comments:
Simply Beautiful more (846 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence.
Runtime:
117 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The Dude says "man" 147 times in the movie, nearly 1.5 times a minute. more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the toilet-dunking scene, The Dude says "W-w-wife? D-do you see a ring on my finger?" He's showing the blonde his right hand. Typically, the wedding ring is worn on the left ring finger. But one could easily understand why the Dude wouldn't know this - he's never been married. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
The Stranger: [voiceover] Way out west there was this fella I wanna tell ya about. Goes by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least that was the handle his loving parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. See, this Lebowski, he called himself "The Dude". Now, "Dude" - there's a name no man would self-apply where I come from...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Defective Man! (2009) more
Soundtrack:
Peaceful Easy Feeling more

FAQ

A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
Was Donny imaginary?
Is this movie based on a novel?
more
325 out of 377 people found the following comment useful.
Simply Beautiful, 16 October 2004
Author: butterfinger

It's a travesty that most critics only read The Big Lebowski at its most superficial level and called it a modern take on a Raymond Chandler potboiler. I simply can't begin to perceive how one could sit down in front of this cinematic pop-poetry, as it plates gold on the silver screen, and not feel so incredibly alive. The dream sequence Busbee Berkley musical numbers are unique and awe-inspiring; the humor is rich, subtle, and clever in the way it satirizes politically correct arrogance; the free-flowing story avoids (even pokes fun at) nonessentials like plot points and pay-offs. But what really makes this film such a masterpiece, such a panacea, is the incredible humanism, the care that the Coen brothers put in developing The Dude (Jeff Bridges), Walter (John Goodman), Donnie (Steve Buscemi-tremendously endearing), and Brandt (magnificently played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman). Looking at the films use of Sam Elliott to play The Stranger, who constantly rambles about the many wonders of The Dude (among other things), it is clear that the film is an ode to a Dudist way of life. And in a time where so many film promise that they have the answer to the worlds problems and end up as slick, stylistic show-off films, what more could one ask for than a good-hearted film like this? Not to mention the performance by Jeff Bridges, which ranks among the best performances of the nineties; he has a relaxed slouch, a goofy smile, an enthusiastic dance, and his buttons can only be pushed by Walter, who John Goodman plays with charm and fury. The Coen brothers have always been considered 'cold' filmmakers, but there is nothing here but warmth and humanity (as is the case with the Coens' Fargo). What we have here is one of the greatest achievements in modern cinema and if you can't see that, grab a White Russian, hit the bowling ally, and find your inner-Dude as soon as possible.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Big Lebowski (1998)
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Delete your Posts, Lebowski Style! yodacrozier
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE? ruink
The Dude Tops Coens List imaintdan
Why does everyone on this board hate the eagles? peter_t_2k3
References to other films jellobiafra2000
autobahn album... tuix00
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