First Take Classics: The Big Lebowski- a film that legitimately made me want to go bowling

SYPNOSIS:

“The Dude” Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.

1998 was a good year for film. This is one of the reasons why, as the Coen Brothers made something that would arguably become a cult classic, and it has certainly stood the test of time.

The Coens inject their unique directing style into this film very well, with very little issues to report on regarding the overall pacing, and combined with their script, the film has humour and plot development as its key points, and every single line has a really quotable segment. I sat in on a screening of this film with a few people who hadn’t seen this film, and they fell in love- such is the timeless nature of this unique comedy.

Performance wise, John Goodman and Jeff Bridges are two super likable leads, and with a supporting cast including Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi and others, this is a true ensemble piece. It’s shot really well by industry legend Roger Deakins, and with regular Coen contributor Carter Burwell on hand to provide the score that slots in between that now iconic soundtrack, this has a lot of technical prowess.

THE VERDICT

This really does have the qualities of a cult classic- with infinitely quotable lines, a brilliant plot, and sequences which have been entertaining cinema audiences around the world (most recently in a commercial for speaker manufacturer Sonos), this is a film suited for dudes. Now I want to go bowling. Again.

RATING: 5/5