Big Lebowski TShirTS,

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The Big Lebowski

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The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski, a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, chronicles a few days in the life of a burned out, unemployed California slacker after he is mistaken for a millionaire with the same name. While not directly based on Raymond Chandler's novel The Big Sleep, Joel Coen has said that "[we] wanted to do a Chandler kind of story – how it moves episodically, and deals with the characters trying to unravel a mystery. As well as having a hopelessly complex plot that's ultimately unimportant."

The film, known for its idiosyncratic characters, surreal dream sequences, unconventional dialogue and eclectic soundtrack, has become a cult classic and called "the first cult film of the internet era."

Two thugs surprise Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Bridges) in his home in Venice, California, attempting to collect a debt Lebowski's supposed wife owes to Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazzara). After roughing The Dude up, one of the thugs urinates on his rug, until The Dude convinces them, correctly, that they're looking for a different person of the same name. The Dude seeks compensation for his rug from the other Jeffrey Lebowski, the titular "Big" Lebowski, a wheelchair-bound millionaire, who gruffly refuses. Instead, The Dude craftily steals one of the Big Lebowski's rugs, and on his way out, he meets Bunny Lebowski (Tara Reid), the Big Lebowski's promiscuous trophy wife.

Soon after, the Big Lebowski calls The Dude, saying that Bunny has been kidnapped and asking him to act as a courier for the million-dollar ransom, as The Dude is in the unique position of being able to identify the rug-soiling thugs. Back at his apartment, The Dude naps on his new, stolen rug, only to have his apartment broken into again, getting punched out. After a dream sequence, he wakes up with his new rug gone. When the kidnappers call to arrange the ransom exchange, Walter Sobchak (Goodman), The Dude's unstable bowling teammate, convinces The Dude to keep the money and gives the kidnappers a "ringer" suitcase filled with dirty underwear. That night, The Dude's car is stolen, along with the briefcase filled with money. The Dude receives a message from the Big Lebowski's daughter, Maude (Julianne Moore), in which she admits to being the one who stole back The Dude's rug. At her art studio, she explains that Bunny is a pornographic actress working under producer Jackie Treehorn, and confirms The Dude's suspicion that Bunny probably kidnapped herself, identifying her likely accomplices as a trio of German nihlists led by Uli Kunkel (Peter Stormare), a porn actor who has worked with Bunny. She asks The Dude to recover the ransom, as it was illegally withdrawn by her father from a family-run charitable foundation for orphans.

The Dude is relaxing, when he receives a message that his car has been found. Mid-message, the three German nihilists invade The Dude's apartment, seeking the ransom money. The Dude picks up his car, but finds the briefcase missing. He tracks down the teenager who likely stole it, but the confrontation is a failure. Upon returning home, the thugs from the opening return to bring The Dude to Jackie Treehorn. At Treehorn's beach house, he asks the whereabouts of Bunny, but The Dude has no such information. Treehorn drugs The Dude's drink and he passes out, leading to a second, more elaborate dream sequence.

The Dude arrives home and is greeted by Maude Lebowski, who hopes to conceive his child. During post-coital conversation with Maude, The Dude finds out that, despite appearances, her father has no money of his own, as Maude's late mother was the rich one, and she left her money exclusively to the family charity. In a flash, The Dude unravels the whole scheme: When the Big Lebowski heard that Bunny was kidnapped, he used it as a pretense for an embezzlement scheme, in which he withdrew the ransom money from the family charity, kept it for himself, gave an empty briefcase to The Dude (who would be the fall guy on whom he pin the theft), and was content to let the kidnappers kill Bunny. Meanwhile, it has by now become clear that the kidnapping was itself a ruse: While Bunny took an unannounced trip, the nihilists (her friends), alleged a kidnapping in order to get money from her husband. (It is left unclear whether and to what extent Bunny was an active collaborator in this scheme). The Dude and Walter arrive at the Big Lebowski residence, finding Bunny back at home, having returned from her trip. They confront the Big Lebowski with their version of the events, which he counters but does not deny.

Though the whole affair finally appears to be over, The Dude and his bowling teammates are once again confronted by the nihilists, who have set The Dude's car on fire. They are still demanding the million dollars, despite the fact that The Dude does not have the money and Bunny has not even been kidnapped. Walter fights them off, but their third teammate, Donny (Steve Buscemi), suffers a fatal heart attack. They take his ashes to a beach, where Walter offers a lengthy eulogy. He scatters Donny's ashes, but a wind blows much of the ashes into The Dude's face. Upset, The Dude lashes out at Walter. Walter apologizes and hugs The Dude, before suggesting "Fuck it, man. Let's go bowling." As the movie nears its end, The Dude sums up his situation and philosophy with the phrase, "The Dude abides".

from Wikipedia licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License