How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:72
Fresh:56
Rotten:16
Average Rating:7.1/10
Consensus: Typically stunning visuals and sharp dialogue from the Coen Brothers, brought to life with strong performances from Goodman and Bridges.
Synopsis: The Coen brothers have done it again. Mixing in Leninist philosophy, mistaken identity, crazy characters, a kidnapping plot, and a deep love of bowling, they have unleashed upon an unsuspecting... [More]
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi
Director: Joel Coen
As tempting as it is to completely dismiss The Big Lebowski, it's hard to do because the Coens are able to create wickedly funny eccentrics and possess the ability to energize certain actors to inhabit them completely.
Top CriticThere is no satisfactory beginning, middle or end to it, but it does have its moments.
A genial spoof about life on the unhinged margins of L.A. that's a lot more carefully constructed than it pretends to be.
Although there are plenty of laughs to be had, what ultimately makes this film feel like a minor effort is the lack of the tightly coiled (albeit noticeably bent) internal logic that governed the duo's previous efforts.
There are bits of brilliance here as in all Coen Brothers movies. Just not enough of them.
It sounds like another precious Coen brothers gimmick, but in Bridges' hands it becomes a hysterical running joke.
I wish the Coens the best, but they're going to have to do better than this. I know they can.
Not that The Big Lebowski is without its charms, but, like its central character, it is occasionally aimless and incoherent.
Viewers with a taste for bizarre, even surreal, humor will have a ball.
The comedy here is sometimes so sharp that you could roll in the aisle with laughter and not seem any odder than the characters you see onscreen.
There are more ideas here, more wacko side characters and plot curlicues than the film can support, and inevitably it deflates from having to shoulder so much.
It's best just to accept The Big Lebowski on its own anything-goes terms.
A film that may be instantly forgettable but should keep you grinning for a couple of hours.
In a perfect world all movies would be made by the Coen brothers.
Top CriticThe Big Lebowski doesn't always bowl strikes. But in this wacky comedy, even the gutter balls are funny.
The Big Lebowski is a mess. But what a glorious, wonderfully-entertaining mess it is.
This plot need not be taken too seriously. Watching it amble along is enough of a treat, since the Coens populate this story with oddballs and bowling balls of such comic variety.
Top CriticThis uneven screwball comedy -- a disjointed and half-hearted attempt by the Coen brothers to return to the Raising Arizona style -- is bound to underwhelm even their most fervent admirers.
It never really bored me at any point, but at the same time, it never really excited me either.
July 08, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
If you flick through the celebrity pages of most British newspapers -- particularly the free sheets -- you'll likely recognise Jaime Winstone. As Ray Winstone's daughter she's... More...
June 28, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Diego Luna
Diego Luna is bristling at RT's suggestion he pick just five favourite films. "It's really unfair to have to say only five films," he complains as he picks his final choice.... More...
October 17, 2008:
UK Critics Consensus: Is Burn After Reading A Coens Classic? Does Eagle Eye Have Enough Action, Man?
In this week's roster of UK cinema releases we have the latest addition to the Coen canon in the CIA comedy caper, Burn After Reading, Shia LeBeouf stakes a further claim to the... More...
April 27, 2008:
RT interview: Roger Deakins on No Country for Old Men
Cinematographer, Roger Deakins, comes out from behind the lens to discuss his long time collaboration with the Coen brothers and No Country for Old Men. More...
Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!
We're giving away copies of Judd Apatow's latest.
RSS Feeds
3 Comments
