Jesus Gonna Be Here

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Rating: R

Runtime: 117 minutes

Box Office (in today’s dollars): 25 million (approximately)

Characters: The Dude, Walter Sobchak, Donny, Maude Lebowski, Brandt, Jeffrey “Big” Lebowski, Bunny Lebowski, Jesus Quintana, Jackie Treehorn, Da Fino, Marty, Smokey, Larry, The Stranger

Favorite Quote: “Hey, careful man, there’s a beverage here.”

Favorite Scene: “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” dream sequence

Favorite Character: Walter Sobchak

Other need-to-see nineties movies directed by the Coen Brothers: Fargo (also on Salty Chewbacca’s Necessary Nineties list!!)

Finally, the debate can begin. This is the second of the Coen Brothers movies on my list (Fargo being the other). How does Salty feel about this movie?? I had better be careful, because I know a lot of people who love this movie. Everybody wants to be The Dude, and, well, why wouldn’t you?? He wears a robe, he’s in a bowling league, drinks white Russians, loves Creedence, hates the Eagles, and owns a rug that really ties the room together. He also lives in a world with several fantastic characters: Donny always has something to say, Maude wants to have his baby, Bunny will suck your cock for $1,000.00, and Jesus licks his balls. But my favorite is Walter Sobchak. He’s a bit racist, but he don’t roll on Shabbos, so you have to respect that.

Speaking of being racist, the language is off the charts. When trying to choose a favorite quote, I had to sort through some stuff that is “not safe for the younger Salty fans”. Even though they get a good laugh, and are probably quoted often, “The Chinaman is not the issue”, “Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature”, “Shut the fuck up, Donny”, “This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass”, and “Well, I still jerk off manually” did not make the cut. I almost went with “You’re out of your element”, but since The Dude always seems to be drinking, “Hey, careful man, there’s a beverage here” just makes the most sense to me. Not surprising, my favorite scene is the “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” dream sequence. What is surprising is that it’s freakin’ Kenny Rogers!!

So, which movie does Salty like better?? I am not going to reveal my answer, because the two may be matched up in my nineties movie bracket tournament at some point. Instead, I am going to hit up the In-N-Out Burger next to Larry, and queue up “Logjammin’” in the DVD player ... because The Dude abides.

Next movie to review: The Truman Show