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The Big Lebowski, a review by Dragonfire

The Big Lebowski



The Dude. One cool guy. Who one day comes home to find two thugs have broken in and ruined his favorite carpet - the one that made the room "hang together". Thing is, they did it because he's got the same name as one of the richest men in town. Lebowski. But, hey, no problem. He'll get even. At least he'll get someone to pay for the carpet.

My Thoughts

I kept hearing stuff about this one, but I hadn't seen it.  When I spotted it in Walmart last month for $7.50, I decided I would go ahead and get it. 

The movie is somewhat bizarre and odd, but that works for it and helps to make it more entertaining in my opinion.  Things start off rather straight forward.  The Dude is mistaken for someone else and his rug is used as a toilet, so it makes sense that he's ticked.  His friend Walter, who has anger issues, gets him more rilled up over the situation.  After that, more and more starts going on and things do get a bit more complicated.  I think the movie is more about following The Dude through all the ...weirdness than in finding resolutions for everything.  Though there are some resolutions. 

A lot of what happens is funny in a twisted way.  The humor won't appeal to everyone, but I think it works perfectly for the movie.  The language is extreme at times, so that will probably offend some people.  There is a little bit of violence in the movie, but I don't think of it as being violent overall. 

All the characters are different in some way in this movie.  The Dude is very laid back and tries to avoid anything that is stressful of requires him to do much of anything.  It isn't that he isn't capable of doing more.  He just choses not to.  He is far from stupid and he actually figures several things out.  Jeff Bridges is absolutely amazing in the part.  Walter keeps pushing The Dude to do things, and it rarely turns out well.  Walter definitely has anger issues.  Donnie is just sort of around, joining a conversation in the middle and asking questions that really tick off Walter. 

Overall, I ended up really enjoying this movie and I'm glad I decided to pick it up.  It is kind of bizarre, but it is extremely entertaining.  The movie isn't going to appeal to everyone though.



I did get a review posted on Epinions recently.

The Big Lebowski

(From The Big Lebowski on May 23rd, 2010)

A Room for Romeo Brass, a review by Jon

A Room for Romeo Brass **** Year: 1999 Director: Shane Meadows Rating: 15 Length: 87 Min. Video: Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo

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12 year olds Romeo (Andrew Shim) and Gavin (Ben Marshall) live next door to each other. They're the best of mates with a shared sense of humour that helps them survive in a landscape of comic losers and broken dreams. But their friendship is put to the test by a chance encounter. After a stranger saves them from being beaten up, the boys are only too happy to help their new hero and pal in his quest to date Romeo's sister. Little do they realise they are being drawn into a world of dangerous obsession, violence and desperation; a world that threatens to tear the two friends apart. From acclaimed director Shane Meadows 'A Room For Romeo Brass' is a contemporary coming-of-age story that is as funny as it is frightening.

A Room For Romeo Brass, Shane Meadows’ second film, is a charming story of growing up that features several themes that can be seen throughout the directors career.

It’s a simple plot about two friends, Romeo and Gavin. One day they get involved in a typical scrap with some kids who picked on Gavin and they are rescued by Morell (Paddy Considine) who breaks up the fight. Morell is out of work and clearly a loner, but takes to the two boys. They spend a lot of time together, especially as Morell fancies Romeo’s older sister, Ladine, and they try to help him charm her, seeing as she probably wouldn’t look at him twice otherwise! Romeo is especially enamoured with him, because he doesn’t get on with his dad, who is trying to mend bridges with his family following what is implied to be a violent past. The story takes a sombre turn when Romeo starts ignoring Gavin in favour of the stranger.

The brilliance of 24-7 carries through to this film as the naturalistic cast have a wonderful, real banter with one another, which while being very funny with great dialogue, also feels genuine. That supports the story as it takes a more serious turn, then an even darker one, without ever losing its charm or the viewer’s confidence. Romeo and Gavin are very much the central characters and drive the narrative, even when things are happening to them, rather than them forcing it. That’s so important because what I mean is, this is just their life and it’s vitally important to them, not just some farcical caper they’re getting into; and they don’t even have Stand By Me’s built-in sense of nostalgia, which focuses on the idea that the kids will grow up… have grown up, even.
 
I can’t find a real fault with the film, except maybe I would have liked to have seen more of the storyline with Romeo’s dad, played by Frank Harper, especially in the scenes with his daughter, Ladine (Vicky McClure who along with Andrew Shim crops up in more of Meadows’ work). Harper was superb in this. You probably know him as Dog in Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, plus he was in 24-7 as a rather similar character. Therefore I was surprised to see what a layered, delicate performance he gave here as a man trying to come to terms with his past and prove to his family he had changed. It gives the cathartic ending an edge of irony too and I really enjoyed that angle. Oh, and a note for Bob Hoskins. The man is a genius. He gets a couple of very brief moments, as one of Gavin’s teachers who visits him at home, and they amount to mere seconds, but he is wonderful in them.

Filmed in the East Midlands, near my area, the best compliment I can give this film is that I know these people and I know where they come from and I never questioned that, once. It never feels sensational or romanticised, which more well-known working class British comedies like The Full Monty rely on.

That does however mean that it doesn’t pander to any particular audience, so sadly it can easily fall through a crack between genres, never to be seen again! Kids would identify with Romeo and Gavin and get a lot more from this story than they would from most stuff aimed at them, but it does take a very violent and terrifying turn. I would implore you to see it and treat it as nostalgia for yourself if not the characters, like Meadows clearly does.

(From "Fancy the pictures, me Duck?": The British Film Marathon on March 15th, 2011)

[Rerun Marathon] Police Squad!, a review by Tom

6/10

My favorite line: "Sorry to bother you at a time like this. We would have come earlier but your husband wasn't dead then." 

And there is the now classic: "Cigeratte?" - "Yes, I know"

The "Twice"-"Once" scene was also quite funny 

Ed: "Sergeant, take her away and book her!"
Frank: "Sergeant Takheraway." <shakes hand> "Sergeant Booker" <shakes hand>

(From [Rerun Marathon] Police Squad! on October 11th, 2007)