After watching the three Coen Brother's films in class, numerous other Coen brothers film clips, and then watching "The Big Lebowski", I am impressed at how they can make at least four different films that were successful, and yet they all are in different categories. "Fargo" under a murder, crime, drama category, "No Country for Old Men" a thriller mystery action film, TBL as a pothead innapropriate comedy and "Raising Arizona" as a more apropriate humorous film. Although they all are very different in their own ways, there are numerous similarities between some of them.
the link I found highlights some of these differences and correlations.
http://lookingcloser.org/movie%20reviews/A-G/biglebowski.htm
the link here talks about typical Coen attributes: "Sometimes they're philosophical, sometimes merely entertaining; yet, they always write memorable dialogue, and they coax the best performances out of great actors."
This reviewer (Jeffrey Overstreeet) hit my opinion head on, there is always a memorable dialogue in my mind. I recall some quotes from RA, many from Fargo, and also from NCFOM, and some hilarious ones from Lebowski. This is a pretty agreed upon stance on Coen Brothers reviewers but i don't agree with the second part of the statement reguarding best performances.
I do not think Jeff Bridges had his best performance in BL, according to IMDB, Bridges had 4 oscar nominations by the time this review was written (2002), of which he won none of them. Now i realize that BL was not set out to win awards or anything, but clearly Bridges "best" was not brought out for this film.
The Coen Brothers in my opinion really like to re-use actors and actresses in many of their films, even more than other directors do. Just searching under steve buscemi displayed his appearences in at least five Coen films: Hudsucker, Millers, Barton Fink, fargo and Lebowski. Some roles are larger than others but nonetheless they are acting roles in Coen films. Also John Turturro stars in O Brother, Millers Crossing, The BL, and Barton Fink. I will save you the time of not discussing peter stormare, John Goodman, frances mcDormand etc. I really think its a good idea for directors to reuse their actors because it helps build up their identity and make them more of a household name when they have overlapping characters.
Like many other coen characters, I really like "dude", and my laziness is in training to become as prominent as his. I do think that Overstreet is correct when he mentions how BL is a mish mosh of scenes that they couldnt include in them in earlier movies. there are way too many stange out there scenes that are sometimes funny but unnecesary. Also unnecessary is the amount of swearing that is in the film. I have zero problem with foul language but i feel that it is just pointless to have so much swearing that serves little or no purpose. Much of the swearing is directed at Steve Buscemi, or donny in the film. Donny is barely allowed to talk in the film with out having bridges or goodman swear at him. which is ironic in that in fargo, he couldn't stop talking and peter stormare just sat there and looked at him and beat him up and killed him. I have included a youtube clip of how steve buscemi is interjected numerous times with profanity and rudeness showing his complete night and day change from his vocal roles in Fargo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgW7RpJfeto
Steve Buscemi has earned zero respect from walter and dude and they dont care about his opinion or anything he has to add to the conversation. However they do pay him tribute and respect in the end of the film after his death when they release his ashes into the pacific ocean air, even though they refrained from paying for the 180 urn to contain his ashes.
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