The Big Lebowski (1998)

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.

Directors:

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (uncredited)

Writers:

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore

Top Rated Movies #196 | 5 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	The Dude
John Goodman	...	Walter Sobchak
Julianne Moore	...	Maude Lebowski
Steve Buscemi	...	Theodore Donald 'Donny' Kerabatsos
David Huddleston	...	The Big Lebowski
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Brandt
Tara Reid	...	Bunny Lebowski
Philip Moon	...	Woo, Treehorn Thug
Mark Pellegrino	...	Blond Treehorn Thug
Peter Stormare	...	Nihilist #1, Uli Kunkel / 'Karl Hungus'
Flea	...	Nihilist #2, Kieffer
Torsten Voges	...	Nihilist #3, Franz
Jimmie Dale Gilmore	...	Smokey
Jack Kehler	...	Marty
John Turturro	...	Jesus Quintana

Storyline

When "the dude" Lebowski is mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, two thugs urinate on his rug to coerce him into paying a debt he knows nothing about. While attempting to gain recompense for the ruined rug from his wealthy counterpart, he accepts a one-time job with high pay-off. He enlists the help of his bowling buddy, Walter, a gun-toting Jewish-convert with anger issues. Deception leads to more trouble, and it soon seems that everyone from porn empire tycoons to nihilists want something from The Dude.

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Plot Keywords:

rug | nihilism | pornographer | bowling alley | death | 

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Taglines:

It takes guys as simple as the Dude and Walter to make a story this complicated... and they'd really rather be bowling.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006.

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Goofs

The first time The Dude's answering machine message is heard it says "leave a message after the beep, it takes a minute." Then there is a long pause before it beeps and Maude Lebowski leaves a message. When The Dude is smoking in his bathtub, LAPD calls and the same message is heard, but there is no delay before the beep.

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Quotes

[first lines]
The Stranger: [voiceover] Way out west there was this fella... fella I wanna tell ya about. Fella 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. Mr. Lebowski, he called himself "The Dude". Now, "Dude" - that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I ...

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Crazy Credits

Production Goddess ... Karyn Anonia

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Alternate Versions

The version which premiered on USA Network in September, 2000 has been severely cut (aside from the usual edits for content). Among the story lines excised are virtually all the scenes involving Jesus Quintana (John Turturro), the private eye from Minnesota (Jon Polito) looking for Bunny Lebowski and the scene where Maud is trying to conceive The Dude's child.

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Connections

Referenced in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: The Big Mac Question (2019)

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Soundtracks

Dead Flowers
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Published by ABKCO Music, Inc.
Performed by Townes van Zandt
Courtesy of Sugar Hill Records

User Reviews

Respectable Raunch

The Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) are the most innovative and, perhaps, the best filmmakers working today. Or they at least rank along side the likes of Martin Scorsese and rising director star Quentin Tarantino. Think about it: "Blood Simple" was the best film of 1984; "Raising Arizona" was the best film of 1987; "Miller's Crossing" was the best movie of 1990; "Barton Fink" was the best movie of 1991; and "Fargo" was the best movie of 1996. Now comes their latest effort, "The Big Lebowski," which, while it isn't in quite the same league as the above films, is still one of the most thoroughly entertaining movies of 1998.

It tells the shambling story of a man named Jeff Lebowski, who calls himself The Dude (Jeff Bridges). The Dude's apartment gets broken into and a thief urinates on his rug. He finds out that the criminals were not looking for him, but looking for the OTHER Jeff Lebowski, the disabled millionaire (played by David Huddleston). That's all I can tell you. The rest is really too bizarre and complicated to put into words; but it's bizarre and complicated in the best ways of the words.

Still, what I'll remember most about "The Big Lebowski" is the outstanding number of utterly terrific performances. Bridges delivers the best performance of his career and probably the best of the year as a bum lie-about who just wants to be left alone. John Goodman is the real comic gem here as the forever-loudmouthed Walter, The Dude's bowling partner and best friend. Steve Buscemi co-stars as the dimwitted, bug-eyed Donny, the third bowling partner; there's a small but interestingly offbeat spot for Julianne Moore; and John Torturro stops in, as Jesus the bowler, for what is probably the best walk-on performance in years. If you are a Coen brothers fan or like humor that is distinctly offbeat, you have found your movie. As a rather avid moviegoer, I found the film to be a great excersise in pointless extremeties and respectable raunch. Rated R. 117 minutes. 10 out of 10.

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English German Hebrew Spanish

Release Date:

6 March 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Big Lebowski

Filming Locations:

10231 Charing Cross Road, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,533,844, 8 March 1998

Gross USA:

$18,034,458

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$46,739,566

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS DTS (DTS: X)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1