Movie Suggestion: The Big Lebowski

The film written and directed by the Coen brothers (No Country for Old Men, Fargo, True Grit, Burn After Reading, O, Brother Where Art Thou, Barton Fink, Raising Arizona) was not a critical success when it first released in 1998. In fact, it wasn't even that well liked by audiences at the time.  Though, as the years went by, it began to steadily gain popularity and it now has a very large and fiercely loyal fan base. This film has inspired conventions, memes, and even its own religion.

The movie stars Coen Brothers veterans Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Peter Stormare, and Philip Seymoure Hoffman.

This film tells the story of the easy-going "Dude" (Bridges) and his quest to get back his stolen rug. But things don't quite go to plan as he gets caught up in a kidnapping conspiracy and a case of mistaken identity. As his life get progressively worse, he enlists the help of his two bowling buddies. One is a tiny, soft-spoken man (Buscemi), and the other is a very religious Vietnam war vet with severe PTSD and is likely to snap at any moment (Goodman). 

I think that this movie is a great choice for our class because of how it parallels The Venetian Twins in the sense of mistaken identity and how it represents Bergson's concept of the inelastic. Almost every character in the movie believes that the "Dude" is a reclusive millionaire, and they refuse to think otherwise. It is this breakdown of communication and unchanging behavior that give the story its push.

Also, I think this would be a good movie selection because it is not the same kind of comedy as the other films that have been suggested so far. It is darker in tone and the humor tends to be more subtle.  I'll admit, it is hard to sell this movie in a few short paragraphs (or even with a trailer) to someone who has not already seen it or is not already a fan of the Coen brothers.  I didn't even really want to watch it years ago, but I did only because I wanted to know why so many other people enjoyed it.  I figured out why: because it's awesome.

Below is a clip from the film where the Dude is telling his friends about what he thinks is really going on in this crazy story when they have an odd interaction with their bowling league rival Jesus.