The Big Lebowski

Unfortunately majority of Coen brother films aren't very deep
they are just movie nerds taking the piss out of the detective genre, meaning there is no deeper meaning, but they wont tell you this because us mere mortals may corrupt if we where to know what they know. But here is the basic idea behind it anyway. The Big Lebowski is a film about a detective who can't detect what is right in front of him. You may be confused why I say it is a detective film when obviously it isn't. well what genre is it? stoner comedy? not even close! It takes heavily from a detective movie called the Big Sleep; a story about a kidnapping- a detective that is perceived to be dumb-set in LA Hollywood- even the employer the kidnap victims husband is old, wheelchair-bound,  rich businessman who wanted to pin the kidnapping of his wife on a group who claims they have! - sound familiar at all?- written 1939. Film made 1942. If you think detective you think 30s-50s and this was written and filmed in the 30s - 50s so... yea. This time was WWII, and mainly centred around a character outcast by society at that time trying their hardest to be accepted by their fellow private eyes and policemen and catch the crook. Our movie is set in the gulf war- a war that accomplished nothing, it was simply a military stand off, much referencing to the plot, a plot that starts walks in a circle while dribbling and goes absolutely no where. on the other hand most detective movies actually have a story that gets resolved! Like most Coen films the detective theme is referenced many times throughout the movie.
There are many points where you think the plot is going to go somewhere but just goes off on another tangent that leads back to the start. Example: when Jackie Treehorn invites the dude in and gets a phone call and 'writes' something down but its just a false end. Or when his rug is taken another time and you think its going to be a huge plot point but is just another character introduction.
There is one more point to be made, all the characters are stuck in different time periods- The Dude is stuck in the flower power age of the 1960s, Walter is stuck in the Vietnam war (and his marriage), Maude is stuck in the 80s nihilist art period. showing how these characters interact with the modern world (man I fuckin' hate the Eagles). This mixed with the exposition-less dialogue and dark humour makes it a joy to watch.











^(o-o) hands up who thinks the Jesus scene is a cinematic masterpiece