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The Big Lebowski

Play trailer 2:33 Poster for The Big Lebowski R 1998 1h 57m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
79% Tomatometer 190 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Jeff Bridges plays Jeff Lebowski who insists on being called "the Dude," a laid-back, easygoing burnout who happens to have the same name as a millionaire whose wife owes a lot of dangerous people a bunch of money -- resulting in the Dude having his rug soiled, sending him spiraling into the Los Angeles underworld.
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The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski

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Critics Consensus

The Big Lebowski's shaggy dog story won't satisfy everybody, but those who abide will be treated to a rambling succession of comic delights, with Jeff Bridges' laconic performance really tying the movie together.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Romney Sight & Sound 06/08/2023
The Big Lebowski is at once utterly inconsequential and a blow for a cinematic slacker aesthetic. Go to Full Review Adam Kempenaar Filmspotting 03/23/2023
5/5
25 years later, the movie where every detail matters and doesn’t matter at all, is as hilarious as ever – and more poignant, man. Go to Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post 01/24/2023
With their inspired, absurdist taste for weird, peculiar Americana, the Coens have defined and mastered their own bizarre subgenre. No one does it like them and, it almost goes without saying, no one does it better. Go to Full Review Mark Jackson Epoch Times 04/21/2023
4/5
Bridge's thespian mastery, via the slacker zeitgeist of our time, converts The Dude's funniest lines into a readily-understood language of everyday desperation. This ultimately begat the religion of Dudeism. Which makes 'Lebowski' an important movie. Go to Full Review Stephen Silver Tilt Magazine 03/19/2023
5/5
The Coen Brothers introduced the world to The Dude, Jesus, Walter, Maude, and a fantasia of burnt-out ex-hippie in a Raymond Chandler plot. (25th anniversary) Go to Full Review Noah Gittell Washington City Paper 03/10/2023
The Dude becomes an aspirational figure, chill in the face of increasing absurdity, and ever able to express himself in perfectly quotable ways. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Glenn S Apr 18 All because of the wrongdoing of his rug “that pulled his room together” does he unwittingly literately stumbles and slurs into assuming a messy Phillip Marlow detective case. Nice nod to the old Busby Berkeley dance sequence while tripping thru a Hitchcock like nightmare. With the exception of Raising Arizona one of Coen Bros funniest. See more John D Apr 18 The Big Lebowski is a seminal film. It is still just as funny as it was when it was released almost three decades ago. See more Rylee Apr 18 Seeing someone’s favorite movie with my favorite person (Rena) See more Alex K. 11/07/2023 IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!! THE THEATER WAS FULL OF PEOPLE!!! THE BEST COMEDY EVER!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 See more David M 11/23/2022 A classic and a must-watch at least once a year. First time seeing in a theatre! See more Terry H @RT83445150 4d Gen X'r here that somehow never got around to watching this movie, until now. Completely get why this became a cult classic. Loved the lead character portrayals by Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and Steve Buscemi. Quirky, but they nailed them perfectly. Fun story line that was entertaining to watch play out. See more Read all reviews
The Big Lebowski

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Cast & Crew

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Joel Coen

Director

Jeff Bridges

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

John Goodman

Walter Sobchak

Julianne Moore

Maude Lebowski

Steve Buscemi

Donny

Peter Stormare

Nihilist (Ulee Kunkel)

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The Big Lebowski

Meet "The Dude" and the Wildly Chill Religion Based on 'The Big Lebowski' Meet "The Dude" and the Wildly Chill Religion Based on 'The Big Lebowski' 10:05 The Big Lebowski: Trailer 1 The Big Lebowski: Trailer 1 2:33 View more videos
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The Big Lebowski

(Left to right) The Dude (JEFF BRIDGES) listens to the mysterious 'Stranger' (SAM ELLIOTT). (L TO R) SMOKEY (JIMMY DALE GILMORE) ANNOYS WALTER (JOHN GOODMAN, FAR RIGHT) BY DEBATING AN OVER THE LINE CALL, AS DONNY (STEVE BUSCEMI, MIDDLE LEFT) AND THE DUDE (JEFF BRIDGES, MIDDLE RIGHT) WATCH. JULIANNE MOORE STARS AS MAUDE LEBOWSKI. JOHN TURTURRO STARS AS JESUS QUINTANA. (LEFT TO RIGHT) JEFF BRIDGES AND JOHN GOODMAN. JEFF BRIDGES STARS AS THE DUDE. (Top left) JEFF BRIDGES stars as The Dude, (top right) JOHN GOODMAN is bowler Walter, (bottom left) STEVE BUSCEMI as Donny and (bottom right) JULIANNE MOORE as artist Maude. Top: (Left to right) The Dude (JEFF BRIDGES) has a vivid dream that includes Maude (JULiANNE MOORE) as a bowling goddess. Bottom: (Left to right) JEFF BRIDGES and JOHN GOODMAN. WALTER (JOHN GOODMAN) SURVEYS THE PINS. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Jeff Bridges plays Jeff Lebowski who insists on being called "the Dude," a laid-back, easygoing burnout who happens to have the same name as a millionaire whose wife owes a lot of dangerous people a bunch of money -- resulting in the Dude having his rug soiled, sending him spiraling into the Los Angeles underworld.
Director
Joel Coen
Distributor
Gramercy Pictures
Production Co
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating
R (Drug Content|Brief Violence|Pervasive Strong Language|Sexuality)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 6, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.4M
Runtime
1h 57m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)