As filmmakers go I rank the partnership of the Coen brothers as being some of the least consistent that the minds behind films like Fargo (1996) and No Country for Old Men (2007) are capable of producing a trashy movie like The Ladykillers (2004) has always baffled me. The Big Lebowski however can certainly be categorised among the duo's finest films, nowadays enjoying a cult following of devoted fans (some of whom even attend an annual 'Lebowski fest'). Aside from its cult fan base, the adventures of the Dude have become a mainstream favorite thanks to the razor-sharp script, psychedelic visuals and urine-inducing gags. On its initial release however The Big Lebowski struggled to interest the public, grossing a humble $15 million in the United States. The film received mixed appraisals from critics, though some of the negative reviews were particularly damning. The British newspaper The Guardian said the following:
"You're forced to watch a bunch of ideas shoveled into a bag and allowed to spill out at random. The film is infuriating, and will win no prizes."
Perhaps this journalist should've enjoyed a couple of the Dude's trademark White Russians before their viewing; they'd probably get over their tiresome preoccupation with conventional film structure and be able to appreciate the film's underlying spirituality which keeps it relevant to this day.