I’ve seen this film many times, but I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about it, which is unusual, as it is definitely one of top 5 films of all time (and definitely my favourite comedy). Not only that, but it stars my all time favourite actor, Jeff Bridges.
He plays the Dude, a lovable slouch, who loves bowling, drinking White Russians (which, by the way, is a very tasty drink), and smoking joints. After a case of mistaken identity, which causes the Dude to try to gain retribution for a ruined rug (“that rug really tied the room together”) he finds himself, together with his best friend Water (a Vietnam obsessed veteran, who definitely needs anger management lessons) embroiled in a case of kidnapping, trying to save the life of a young ‘lady’ – and I use the word lady in the loosest sense of the word! – who may or may not have been kidnapped by a group of nihilists. The Dude is thrown from one hapless adventure into another, but all he really wants to do is go bowling…
I don’t want to give too much away about the plot; suffice to say that this is the funniest film I can remember ever seeing, and every time I watch it, I get something new out of it. Jeff Bridges puts in an Oscar worthy performance, and all of the supporting cast are also fabulous.
Year of release: 1998
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Main cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore
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