Jeff Bridges may have won an Oscar for Crazy Heart, but for many moviegoers, he will forever be known as "The Dude."
Bridges' immortal role in The Big Lebowski gets the big screen treatment — once again — at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Edwards Greenway Grand Plaza Stadium. The Coen brothers' 1998 cult classic has been digitally restored and is back on the big screen in select theaters for one night only to kick off the Tuesday release of The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray (Universal; $29.99, Blu-ray Disc).
The movie follows Bridges, an amicable, uninvolved stoner, through a series of misadventures that stem from mistaken identity and a stolen rug. The stellar cast includes John Goodman as Vietnam veteran Walter and the Dude's unlikely sidekick, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Sam Elliott.
Why the cult following? The film is hilarious and lavishly detailed. The characters are approachable and endlessly quotable. The plot is a tangle of misunderstandings and psychedelic interludes.
New audiences, cult followers, bowlers, and nihilists alike —some in costume — are likely to flock to the showing. So brush up on your lingo, have a White Russian, throw on your robe, and get there early — a collectable, limited edition poster will be available for attendees while supplies last.
Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton in The Invite.
Once upon a time, well before scandal embroiled him, Woody Allen made great comedies aimed at adults. That type of film — which is different from the raunchy, R-rated comedies of the 21st century — has fallen out of favor in Hollywood, but as the new film The Invite proves, when done well it can be as funny as anything else out there.
Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) are an unhappily married couple living in San Francisco. As we meet them, Joe has arrived home to Angela preparing for a visit from their upstairs neighbors, Hawk (Edward Norton) and Piña (Penélope Cruz), who have moved in relatively recently. Their impending arrival starts a new round of arguing between Joe and Angela, something they can barely contain once the other couple comes to their door.
What proceeds is a getting-to-know-you process that is mostly awkward as Joe and Angela continue sniping at each other while Hawk and Piña put in their two cents in a much calmer manner. A sticking point between the two couples — the loud sex Hawk and Piña have on an almost nightly basis — turns the film on its head with an unexpected invitation.
Directed by Wilde and written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones, the film is a fast-paced chamber piece that takes place almost entirely in Joe and Angela’s apartment. Wilde, the writers, and the actors speed the story along not with action but through almost non-stop dialogue that often has the characters overlapping each other’s lines. The rapidity of the speech fuels the humor of the situation and establishes the differing personalities of each person.
Sex is very much top of mind for each of the characters for most of the film, but the filmmakers approach the topic in such a way that it never feels salacious. Each of the characters is a rational adult who can talk about sex in a mature manner while also acknowledging their unique feelings on the matter. And it’s the discoveries each of them makes along the way that brings about the most comedy.
But, like any comedy for adults, the film also has a dramatic tilt to it, and Wilde edges the story back-and-forth between the two tones extremely well. Joe and Angela fighting is played for laughs at times, but the sadness of their relationship comes through loud and clear. Hawk and Piña are much more intimate with each other, but the funniness of their openness is juxtaposed with a depth that arises through their conversations.
In the 2020s, Rogen has managed to make the transition from goofy stoner to stoner with real acting chops. In a stacked cast, he is the one who sells every moment the best. That’s not to say that Wilde, Norton, and Cruz don’t measure up, though; each of them inhabits their respective roles magnificently. The four actors play off each other as if they had been working together for years.
While The Invite will likely play better to those who have experience with long term relationships, its insights — and occasional bawdiness — make it a comedy that can be appreciated universally. With four actors at the top of their games and a razor-sharp script made even better by some well-done improv, it proves that you don’t need to go low to get great laughs.
The Dude
"The Big Lebowski"
