The Big Lebowski was released on March 6, 1998.
I don’t recall exactly when the conversation took place. Early in the pandemic, maybe. I was talking to my friend Ethan about The Big Lebowski, when he suddenly asked me, “Do you think every single scene in it has an iconic line?” I didn’t know the answer but pledged to get it for him one day. That day is today. In honor of the film’s 25th anniversary, I revisited the best Coen brothers film (there, I said it), and picked the most quotable line from each scene. Did every scene have one? You be the judge.
Many of these lines look unremarkable on the page, but that’s just part of the film’s genius. There is some sparkling, noir-inflected dialogue and some great jokes in The Big Lebowski, but much of what makes it special is in its performances. The actors find the humanity in the dialogue and make even throwaway lines feel like they’re coming straight from their souls. Below you’ll see some brilliantly-constructed, award-worthy sentences. You’ll also see some silly jokes and well-placed obscenities that tickle me in ways I can’t quite describe.
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