The Big Lebowski (1998)
89%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 18 nominations
Typically stunning visuals and sharp dialogue from the Coen Brothers, brought to life with strong performances from Goodman and Bridges.
The Big Lebowski is a movie that’s so funny, you’ll forget you’re not actually high. Jeff Bridges and John Goodman are a dynamic duo that will have you laughing until your sides hurt. The script is cleverly written and the story keeps you guessing until the very end. It’s a great, silly movie that’s perfect for a night in with friends and a few White Russians. The dude abides, and so should you.
Production Company(ies)
Universum Film
Distributor
Gramercy Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Ralphs Supermarket, South Pasadena, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality and brief violence
Year of Release
1998
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 57m
-
Language(s):English, German, Hebrew, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 6, 1998 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 18, 2005
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, David Huddleston, directed by Joel Coen, written by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, comedy, R rating, box office gross $17.4M, reviewed by Hollywood Reporter, The Ringer, Guardian, St Louis Post-Dispatch, USA Today, Reel Talk Online, Patheos, LarsenOnFilm, Battleship Pretension, CineXpress Podcast, produced by Ethan Coen, MPAA rating R, Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital, Gramercy Pictures, flat aspect ratio, Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski, Walter Sobchak, Maude Lebowski, Donny, Nihilist (Ulee Kunkel), Jeffrey Lebowski
Worldwide gross: $46,969,081
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $86,194,887
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,085
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 9,399,660
US/Canada gross: $18,254,458
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $33,499,504
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,240
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,533,844
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,155,384
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 952
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $27,527,115
Production budget ranking: 1,202
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $14,823,351
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $43,844,420
ROI to date (est.): 104%
ROI ranking: 922
John Goodman – Walter Sobchak
Julianne Moore – Maude Lebowski
Steve Buscemi – Donny
Peter Stormare – Nihilist (Ulee Kunkel)
David Huddleston – Jeffrey Lebowski
Director – Joel Coen
Producer – Ethan Coen
Writers – Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Director(s)
Joel Coen
Writer(s)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Producer(s)
Ethan Coen
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 18 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (109) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (91) | Rotten (18)
For those of you who forgot how good Bridges was in The Fisher King, here is a reminder. As the gung-ho Nam veteran, Goodman’s tenacious, tightly coiled demeanor is smartly explosive and very funny.
March 6, 2020
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Lebowski’s virtuosity serves a sense of modesty.
September 20, 2018
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
One of a kind.
September 20, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
I’ll just say this: The Big Lebowksi is an excellent movie – and damn funny.
April 2, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
Joe Holleman
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The Big Lebowski is a noir send-up, so call it L.A. Inconsequential.
January 9, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Mike Clark
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
Hilarious, well-written, and well-performed by both Bridges and Goodman, The Big Lebowski blows other more recent slacker comedies out the water and proves that Bridges can do any role.
September 11, 2017 | Rating: B+
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
You can’t not enjoy watching Jeff Bridges drawl and ramble around…
June 5, 2021
Eve Tushnet
Patheos
…at once the most fun and the least fun of the Coen brothers’ films.
May 12, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
I do like the clever story telling. It keeps you guessing throughout. The script is tightly structured and there are some very memorable lines.
March 24, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
What a great, silly movie.
February 4, 2021
Jonah Koslofsky
The Spool
The dude abides. Jeff Bridges and John Goodman standout in the stoner comedy film to rule them all. [Full review in Spanish]
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Fico Cangiano
CineXpress Podcast
The dialogue is riddled with moody, witty cursing and unequalled wordplay – and all sorts of sarcastic nonsense.
September 10, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
When “the dude” Lebowski is mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, two thugs urinate on his rug to coerce him into paying a debt he knows nothing about. While attempting to gain recompense for the ruined rug from his wealthy counterpart, he accepts a one-time job with high pay-off. He enlists the help of his bowling buddy, Walter, a gun-toting Jewish-convert with anger issues. Deception leads to more trouble, and it soon seems that everyone from porn empire tycoons to nihilists want something from The Dude.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
John Goodman’s performance as Walter Sobchak is “smartly explosive and very funny,” according to critic Duane Byrge.
Joel-Coen.jpg
