The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski.
1998 Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films & Universal Pictures.
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Elliot
Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen
Available from Amazon as a two-disc 10th anniversary edition, or as a two-disc 10th anniversary limited edition. It's got a bowling ball replica. That alone makes it awesome.

So, is this film really the so-called first cult film of the Internet era? Read on...

Way back in '91, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Bridges) is roughed up in his apartment by two thugs who has mistaken him for a millionaire by the same name, sans the nickname "the Dude", whose wife owes money to someone else named Jackie Treehorn. The two guys realize the mistake, but only after one of them disgraces himself on the Dude's rug. Later on, at the bowling alley, one of the Dude's teammates, Walter Sobchak (Goodman), urges him to seek compensation for the ruined rug from the other Jeffrey Lebowski. The rich guy, nicknamed the "Big" Lebowski (Huddleston), refuses to accomodate the Dude's request. The Dude simply sneaks off with one of the Big Lebowski's rugs, and meets Bunny (Tara Reid), the trophy wife of the Big One who also happens to be a nymphomaniac making pornographic videotapes for aforementioned Mr. Treehorn (Ben Gazzara).

A few days after this, the Big Lebowski contacts the Dude, informing him that Bunny has been kidnapped, and he wants the Dude to act as the courier for the million dollar ransom since he would be able to confirm or deny whether or not the kidnappers are the ones who had ruined the Dude's rug. His new rug is also stolen, by who we find out later is the Big Lebowski's daughter Maude (Moore), who took it back since it had sentimental value for her. Later on, Maude and the Dude sleep together. Meanwhile, Walter tries to convince the Dude to keep the ransom money and trick the kidnappers with a suitcase filled with dirty underwear. The Dude is committed to the original plan, but Walter interferes, and they are left with the million dollars. Walter's solution is to just take the Dude bowling.

From there, the Dude soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and the so-called kidnapping was really just a ruse conducted by the Big Lebowski to embezzle money from the family charity (willed there by Maude's late mother) and pin the blame on the Dude. However, a group of nihilists are still demanding the million dollars from the Dude and Walter, which was stolen along with the Dude's car shortly after the "exchange" with the "kidnappers". Walter violently fights them off, but their teammate Donny (Buscemi), a hopelessly naive ace bowler, suffers a fatal heart attack during the fight. His surviving teammates scatter his ashes over a beach, and decide to go bowling afterwards.

Highly, highly, highly recommended movie. After you get done, make sure to attend Lebowski Fest in Louisville, Kentucky!