I took tonight off as a trade for working Sunday. It was a day at rest around the house. I asked Helaine if she wanted to see a movie and so began our search through the channels.
HBO – nothing. Actually a handful of nothings. We have multiple HBOs.
Comcast On Demand – not working! Then after a support call, working. Still nothing.
“I can bring the Roku box downstairs,” I said.
I’ll write more about my so-so Roku thoughts later.
I unplugged the tiny Roku box in my office, plugged it in downstairs and turned on the TV. A few minutes later we were searching Netflix.
How can there be so much stuff and nothing you want to see?
We settled on “The Big Lebowski.” It’s a late 90s Coen Brothers movie starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore. That’s a helluva pedigree!
Jeff Bridges is Jeffrey Lebowski, aka The Dude. He drinks White Russians (nine during the film), smokes enough pot to have lived in my freshman dorm, and says “dude,” “man,” and the “f” word in most sentences. He is detached, often nonplussed and always charming.
John Goodman as Walter Sobchak is tightly wound, loud and intense as a presumed Vietnam vet who brought a little too much of the war home with him. Think Fred Willard, but bigger, more boisterous and very macho.
Walter Sobchak: You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don’t wanna know about it, believe me.
The Dude: Yeah, but Walter…
Walter Sobchak: Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock this afternoon… with nail polish.
I like Goodman as an actor. I’m not saying he’s never been in a hit film, but he has made some ‘interesting’ career choices.
The movie is quirky, interesting, off the wall and more than a little unfocused.
“Imagine a young screenwriter came in with this script?” Helaine asked. The implication was he’d be laughed off the lot… but these were the Coen Brothers and they were hot off Fargo. They were indulged.
I’m glad I saw it, but confused and a little disappointed.
