10 Best Fan Theories About The Big Lebowski, According To Reddit

As is the case with most movies directed by the Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a cauldron full of theories, but the movie is unique in that it’s genuinely a laugh-out-loud comedy. Fans have been able to endlessly speculate about the movie, and that’s why it’s a comedy masterpiece.

Whether it’s regarding the clothing that a particular character wears, the meaning behind the bizarre dream sequence, or the potentially dark histories of the main characters, every fine detail has been combed over. Some of the theories are absolutely ludicrous, whereas others sound right on the money, but whatever category these theories fall under, they are all thoroughly entertaining.

10 The Dude Is The Illegitimate Son Of Jeffery Lebowski

The whole narrative of The Big Lebowski is about the Dude getting caught up in the middle of a crime due to a case of mistaken identity. As he is mistaken for a much older, much richer man with the same name, one Redditor has come to the conclusion that the Dude is actually the illegitimate child of the millionaire.

It’s a fascinating theory, and it all checks out. The millionaire angrily downplays the same names as a coincidence, and it could be why he tries to get the Dude murdered by giving him an empty briefcase, which should have been filled with money, to give to the kidnappers.

9 The Jesus Is The Dude’s Opposite

The movie would look a lot different if it was recast today, but John Turturro’s casting as the Jesus is one of the most genius things the Coen brothers have ever done. On the face of it, the Jesus is a goofy character who only appears for one scene, licking bowling balls and trying to intimidate other players, but there could be much more to him than meets the eye.

The theory goes that the Jesus and the Dude are mirrors of one another. The Jesus is flashy by wearing purple, whereas the Dude wears only grey and beige. The Jesus is nothing but aggressive, and the Dude’s motto is literally, “The dude abides.”

8 The Reason Why The Dude Imagines Saddam Hussein

Though it might seem out of place, the dream sequence is one of the funniest scenes in the movie, as it sees the Dude being used as a bowling ball, getting chased by nihilists with giant scissors, and so many other absurd things. One of the strangest of them all comes when the Dude is offered bowling shoes from Saddam Hussein.

One eagle-eyed fan has a theory as to why the Dude dreams of Hussein, and it’s because the man who works at the bowling alley in the opening credits looks identical to him. With the Coen Brothers movies generally having deeper meanings, maybe this time around it’s just a simple joke at the expense of Saddam Hussein’s looks.

7 The Dude Died When He Was Drugged

As the Dude’s dream sequence was completely out of place, there is one theory that gives credence as to why it’s in the movie. It’s possible that when the Dude was drugged at the Jackie Treehorn residence, he actually died. The dream sequence could be the gateway to heaven, which makes sense given how excited the character is the whole time.

However, when Maude appears in the dream with the angels, who won’t let the Dude pass, he is thrown into purgatory, which is where the rest of the movie takes place.

6 Donny Is A Serial Killer

On the face of it, Donny is completely harmless. Not only is he physically weak, but he’s also not very smart. However, the character could very much have a dark side, even darker than anything Walt may have done. It’s possible that Donny could be a serial killer, and there’s actually some strange evidence that gives credibility to the theory.

Donny has a whole bunch of bowling shirts all with names stitched into them, but not one of them has his own name. It could be that he takes out his competitors and takes their bowling shirts as something of a souvenir. And he could have been driven to murder by the constant abuse hurled his way from Walter.

5 Walter Killed Cynthia

When Cynthia, Walter’s ex-wife, goes on vacation with her new husband, Walter looks after their pomeranian. But one fan interestingly points out that few people would ever look after their ex-wives’ pets while they vacay with somebody else, and that he has the dog for a more shocking reason.

The theory explains that Walter killed Cynthia and Marty Ackerman and then took their dog. It would explain why Walter randomly had a gun in his bowling bag and why he was becoming increasingly difficult to speak with, slipping into one of his many bouts of rage after being questioned by Donny and the Dude.

4 The Bowling Trio Represent Three Different Ways Of Looking At The Movie

With The Big Lebowski being one of the most combed over movies, with fans looking at the movie in different ways, this theory posits that each main character represents a different perspective of viewing the film.

Some people will enjoy it for what it is without looking for any kind of depth, just like the Dude. Others will try to find a much deeper meaning and will relate it to certain moments in history, just as Walter does with Vietnam. And finally, there’ll be people who just don’t “get it,” just as Donny hopelessly wanders around.

3 Donny Knew He Was Going To Die

Though the Dude is an avid bowler, he is never actually seen bowling once. However, Donny is seen bowling strike after strike, and the only time he doesn’t bowl a perfect strike is the moment right before he dies. As Donny has never seemingly missed a pin in his life, he doesn’t look angry that he missed, but confused.

Not only does this foreshadow to the audience that something bad is going to happen, but that it is a bad omen for Donny and that he possibly knows that something bad is about to happen to him, and it led to one of the Coens’ best plot twists.

2 The Dude, Walter, And Donny Are Different Takes On The American Dream

Though it’s a similar theory to the three main characters being different ways of perceiving the movie, this theory has much more scope. It’s possible that they are instead different takes on the American dream.

The Dude represents the Americans are always concerned about doing the right thing. Walter is a proud, self-proclaimed war hero. And Donny just wants to get by in life and lives by the fact that ignorance is bliss. But what ties the theory together, just like the Dude’s rug, is that the mysterious Stranger is who they all want to be.

1 There Is No Deeper Meaning

Just like how Saddam Hussein showing up in the Dude’s dream might not have any deeper meaning, that theory could be stretched out to cover the whole movie. Though The Big Lebowski is one of the few stoner movies with a plot, there are a lot of random jokes that this Redditor believes are simply inside jokes between the Coen Brothers.

It could be true, as the fan points out that there are so many essays about the movie that say it’s about feminism, religion, and even 9/11, but little to back it all up. It could very well be that the brothers were influenced by Seinfeld and that the movie is, in fact, about nothing.