Quotable, yes, but does The Big Lebowski really hold up?

 

I had occasion recently to reference a scene from The Coen Brothers' Pynchon-esque mystery/comedy in an interaction with my daughter. My daughter is an artist, and I was recalling to her the scene where 'artist' Maude Lebowski -- brilliantly played by a young-ish Julianne Moore -- comes flying in an odd contraption over the titular Lebowski's head, spraying paint on a canvas as female voices (which appear to be making the sounds of women orgasming) are played over loudspeakers.

Hysterical, a bit subversive (the Coens are skewering post-modern art, a la Gerhard Richter), yet somehow germane to the film's plot line. Which is, ostensibly, the rescue of the other Lebowski's trophy wife, Bunny.

Or is it?

The various moves that TBL makes in service of its relatively ordinary, dare I say noir-ish, storyline at times seem to be the point of the film. Does it really matter that Bunny has been kidnapped, or has "kidnapped herself", or is the Journey here the real reward? And, more importantly, does this bowl of late-nineties cinematic gazpacho still hold up?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

OK, perhaps I am going a bit overboard, but it is nice to have my remembered enthusiasm validated for, if not the Coen Brothers best film, at least their funniest. Either No Country for Old Men or Fargo is probably their best film. But even Barton Fink is not as funny as Lebowski. And Barton Fink is pretty funny.

Lebowski is one of those oft-quoted films, like The Godfather. Yet, it is most-oft quoted, I think, by middle-aged white men like me. So, perhaps my love of the film exists, and is echoed in a kind of Dad echo-chamber. I'm not really sure I care much. 

Why?

Let me count the ways. The late, great Ben Gazarra is porn king Jackie Treehorn, who, in classic Noir fashion slips a 'Mickey' into Lebowski's White Russian. The afore-mentioned Julianne Moore as Maude; the also Late, Great Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the sycophantic assistant to the other Lebowski. And of course, multiple Coen actor John Turturro in his steal-the-show performance as Je-sus. Oh he that nobody f's with. In retrospect, his turn is mildly racist, but, again, who cares? It is hysterically funny.

Of course, what really "ties the thing together" (see how I did that) is Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey Lebowski, who cruises through the increasingly complicated and somewhat dangerous Story with the help of a constant low-grade buzz. Knowing now what we know about how great an actor Bridges is (have you seen The Old man on Hulu?) it is remarkable to look back and see him fully in character throughout the film.

You try playing a stoner/slacker/private dick. Well, if the "you" is Joaquin Phoenix in P.T. Anderson's wonderful Inherent Vice, fine. That film channels Lebowski, as many have since.

And The Big Jeffrey is joined by his partners in crime: Walter -- played with scenery chewing relish by the great John Goodman -- and the nearly silent Donny played with true 'third wheel'

glee by the under-rated Steve Buscemi. These three split into singlets, and pairs, and a trio several times, perhaps at no time funnier than when Walter and Lebowski attempt to deliver the ransom money to retrieve Bunny.

They are, alas, unsuccessful. Why would they be, and the sound of the mobile phone constantly ringing adds a brilliant comedic touch for the next several scenes, kind of a like the perfect spice in the soup. If you have never seen the Amazon Prime Original show Patriot, you simply must watch Season One. The Episode entitled "John's To-Do List" uses a Blackberry (a Blackberry!) to accomplish a similarly brilliant comedic effect.

Again, channeling Lebowski.

Is it the main story and main three characters, or the many, many memorable cameos that make this such fun? I can answer that in one word: Flea. I mean, who but the Coens would have the inspiration to have the Bassist from The Red Hot Chili Peppers appear as one of the Nihilists (not Nazis) who memorably repeat "give me the money, Lebowski, Jah" like a moronic mantra. Mostly it is the wonderful Swedish actor Peter Stormare uttering one of the film's many quotable lines.

I could go on, but need to stop. And watch it again. Lord...