Words by Tom Disalvo August 18, 2021

Want to see someone other than Gladys on your screen? Read on…

Ah, the stay-at-home life. It’s pure shite. These days, the best way out of our homes is not through the lockdown loophole of infinite solitary ‘walks,’ but through our television screens. 90 minutes of anything other than news conferences is a welcome treat, a morsel of cinematic escapism to someplace unaffected by the spicy cough.

This week, we’re providing you that vicarious freedom by narrowing down your watch list with another edition of Executive Decision. So cut out the middleman and pinch your friend’s Netflix password because tonight, you’re watching the Coen Brothers 1998 cult classic, The Big Lebowski.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd-go0oBF4Y

Centred around a case of mistaken identity and a soiled rug, The Big Lebowski is a movie about everything and nothing. Spliffs, bowling and unmissable performances from John Goodman and Steve Buschemi abound, but here’s five more reasons you should (re)watch The Big Lebowski tonight.

‘The Dude.’

Need we say more? It’s an obvious choice, but you can’t watch The Big Lebowski without paying due respect to Jeff Bridges’ hilarious turn as ‘The Dude.’ Just the name alone is enough to draw a picture of the film’s protagonist- lazy, slow-spoken and completely unfazed as the criminal underbelly of his pissed-on rug reveals itself. Bridges would go on to win an Oscar for Crazy Heart in 2010, but we think the Academy screwed the pooch there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo11SqLmuGc

Endlessly quotable.

There’s few films as earwormy as The Big Lebowski. While most quotes come courtesy of The Dude, perhaps the most memorable are uttered by his friend and bowling teammate, Walter. By this point, we know that John Goodman could pull off just about anything, but his deadpan expressions as he rambles about how “that rug really tied the room together” are unmatched. Our favourite quote? The quintessential (and surprisingly re-usable) “Shut the fuck up Donny!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YedqV4Gl_us

The Coen Brothers.

The fact that The Big Lebowski was the Coen Brothers follow-up to their Oscar winning film ‘Fargo’ makes it all the more iconic. You can almost picture movie buffs flocking to the cinema for some world-altering artistic experience, but instead getting the weed-infused antics of a washed-up bowling team. But that’s not to say the film is without substance. Depending on who you ask, The Big Lebowski can also be watched as a tragi-comedic take on Eastern philosophy, so take your pick.

Sam Elliot’s narration.

Seriously. The man’s voice is so syrupy it gives both Morgan Freeman and David Attenborough a run for their money. Southern and husky, Elliot’s narration is the entryway into the movie, and a comforting guide for the rest of the plot. We have a sneaking suspicion that half the film’s budget was spent on replacing microphones, since Elliot must’ve turned them all to gold.

A truly religious experience

There’s a lot to learn from the hijinks of The Dude and his fellow bowlers. Don’t smoke and drive and don’t leave your rugs unattended are key teachings, but some fans have gone so far as creating a whole damn religion around Lebowski’s character. Called ‘Dudeism’ (obviously), the religion is founded upon being cool headed and going with the flow, and after watching The Big Lebowski, you’ll no-doubt be a Dudeist of your own.