•
Rating:
What happens when, instead of a regular movie, a film is made by parodying various film genres? This question is answered by The Big Lebowski, a masterpiece by the Coen Brothers, already the directors of the hilarious "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
The Big Lebowski is an excellent movie, which boasts many points in its favor: an exceptional and well-synced cast, a sensational soundtrack, a vast series of parodies and references, and a constant ironic vein—these are the film's main strengths.
From the beginning of the film, we notice the ironic-melancholic vein that serves as the film's pivot and is typical of a certain generation of westerns. It is indeed a typical cowboy who narrates the story of Drugo (or Dude, a rookie in English, a term also used in the Hippie community, of which the protagonist was a part), a young man forced by a series of events—which initially seem disconnected but will reveal their true nature of connection by the end of the film—to become a novice investigator, in a style more akin to Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe, two of the most well-known protagonists of noir books and films.
From Drugo's personality, it emerges how the film succeeds in its intent: he too, like most noir protagonists, is a disillusioned character, an ex-hippy who realizes how the world has changed and refuses to accept it. Bowling, his only distraction, acts as a link between him and the world, well represented by his two friends: Walter, a crazy Vietnam War veteran, and Donnie, a poor, foolish, and timid boy, always reassured by his companion player. The characterizations are excellent not only in the main characters, seen more frequently on the screen, but also in the secondary ones. So, alongside the trio, we also find the rich and ignoble Lebowski (the protagonist's namesake), the unruly wife Bunny, the degenerate daughter trying to break away from her father's footsteps, and the pornographer, other embodiments of the perverse human nature. Add to this the irascible taxi driver and other small characters merely sketched (like the child or the man who just paid for his car in installments or the pedophile player Jesus) and we realize how nothing was left to chance. With a few strokes, indeed, the Coen Brothers have managed to paint our society. Not forgetting the nihilists (a true depiction of a certain social scene in the '80s) and the picture is complete. All these characters contribute to representing the world, in many of the variations humanity is provided with.
Add to the mix that makes the film unmistakable the numerous cinematic references: the omniscient cowboy, the sheriff similar to Heartman from Full Metal Jacket (and his unmissable noir speech, with evident reference to Malibu and Chandler's novel "The Lady in the Lake"), the burning car (a notable citation from the original Ben Hur), the notepad from North by Northwest, and the numerous shots from various gangster, detective, and noir films, all this without forgetting the comical side of the story.
In fact, in The Big Lebowski, you laugh, and you laugh heartily. Its funny and mocking style, the endlessly repeated scenes with small variations (how can the bickering between Drugo and Walter not remind you of those between Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, or Lewis and Martin?), the ruthless parody of all film genres make this movie a must-see piece of cinema. The Coen Brothers have indeed succeeded in their challenging intent: combining the serious and the playful, the realistic and the facetious into an unstoppable blend, yet managing to make the story believable and reflective. Excuse me if that's not enough. It's not the usual entertainment for its own sake, but rather a thoughtful amusement, with a tinge of bitterness.
And in all this, one should not forget the explosive and unmissable mix represented by the soundtrack, which mixes pieces from all eras, evidently perfectly chosen. In short: superb actors who seem born for those roles: how can one see Jeff Bridges out of his Hippie clothes, or John Goodman out of his ex-soldier role? Even Buscemi and Turturro, in their albeit brief appearances, give their best.
But the film also represents an open critique of war, devastating to men, and its ever-worsening mutations (the unforgettable comparison by Walter between the Vietnam War and the Gulf War, which, not forgetting the comical side of the affair, invites reflection).
Not a masterpiece, but a movie of outstanding quality, which should be watched with a certain predisposition and a critical eye.
Loading comments slowly
