agreed. granted i do tend to like the apatow/rogen flicks, which a lot of people consider weed smoker type films/comedy. i actually didn't see lebowski until wayyyy late. like basically up until a few years ago i finally watched. havent read the thread...but sure some have mentioned similar things but: i guess if you can't get into the characters, you wouldn't like it much. but bridges being so laid back, writing a check for .75 cents...being way too carefree about everything, then taking up a cause for a rug! obviously goodmans character is the show stealer. i can see where people who might not like it are coming from though. characters are boring to you...the film probably wouldn't be funny. theres not many just slap stick / one liner jokes. you gotta kind of have to buy into the characters.
the movie is about the people, not what they do. this is what "dry" comedy is... it's not fart, vulgarity, sex, gore comedy like "scary movie". it's a witty, sarcastic, "how did i get into this mess, i just wanted to chill" movie. the fact that there's jokes about nihilism shows how highbrow it is - you have to have a working knowledge of that philosophy to appreciate the characters... rather than just saying "oh, those are the bad guys."
The movie succeeds because of it's actors, a rare film where the casting was perfect, absolutely perfect, right down to the bimbo. It's a pity that Goodman will probably die before the Coen Brothers ever get off their ass and do a sequel.
I can't go to a bowling alley without thinking of the big lebowski, that's how influential and life changing it is to me.
The Coen brothers were smart enough to have faith in their audience. They left enough subtlety in the movie that it's fun to watch and catch things. At the very beginning when Lebowski is checking out and he hears the President talking about Iraq and saying "This aggression will not stand." They don't call special attention to it, they don't call it back right away. It's not until much later in the film where Lebowski says it. It's funny because it's a funny stoner response, but it's got the added bonus of the audience being able to remember it from earlier and understand where Lebowski got it from. It then provides insight to his character and what floating thoughts and soundbites might create an impression subconsciously to Lebowski. Once again after he says it, there isn't a scene where they point out where he got it from. They trust the audience to figure it out. I didn't actually make all the connections with that one until I'd seen it maybe 3 times. But that's part of the brilliance of that movie. You can watch it again and again and discover new things. Movies hardly ever leave that much up to the audience. This one did and it pays off.
What's great is that while watching pretty much any sport there's an opportunity to yell "OVER THE LINE!" at some point.
The Big Lebowski is probably my favorite movie of all-time at this point. I think it's flawless as a comedy and it never gets old. I've settled on a constant fantasy team name for all my teams that references this movie (along with my general suckitude in fantasy sports). I constantly quote it (obviously, you're not a golfer). I want to be The Dude when I retire. That said, I can very well understand why it's not some people's glass of white russian.
You're applying a traditional value system to an absurdist comedy, so your reaction isn't surprising. It's like judging a Picasso and complaining that it isn't realistic enough.
