The Jesus Rolls - ‘Big Lebowski’ Sequel

Agent Coulson

John Turturro writes, directs, and stars in this spiritual sequel to the Coen brothers' 1998 crime comedy

Twenty-two years after being first introduced in Joel and Ethan Coen’s cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” John Turturro’s freewheeling bowler Jesus Quintana is set to return to U.S. movie theaters with the release of “The Jesus Rolls.” Directed and written by Turturro, “Jesus Rolls” serves as an unexpected spiritual sequel to “The Big Lebowski.” The movie is being released in the U.S. by ScreenMedia, which has issued the following plot synopsis: “Jesus Quintana (Turturro) pairs up with fellow misfits Petey (Bobby Cannavale) and Marie (Audrey Tautou) and embarks on a freewheeling joyride of petty crime and romance.”

While Turturro’s character connects “The Jesus Rolls” to “The Big Lebowski,” the actor-director-writer took more guidance from Bertrand Blier’s 1974 French comedy-drama “Going Places” while scripting “The Jesus Rolls” than he did “Lebowski.” Turturro wrote the film as a remake of “Going Places” that just so happened to feature his “Big Lebowski” character in one of the three leading roles. The project was originally titled “Going Places” before “The Jesus Rolls.” The story picks up with Jesus after he is released from prison. The character and his new friends make enemies with a gun-toting hairdresser, played by Jon Hamm. The cast also includes Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon.

pixelburp

I didn't know this was happening. Not entirely sure what to think of that, was this a follow up people were itching for?

mikhail

pixelburp wrote: »

I didn't know this was happening. Not entirely sure what to think of that, was this a follow up people were itching for?

Without the Coens involved, I'm pretty ambivalent. I hope he has their blessing for the 'spiritual sequel' bull, which I feel is close to false advertising.

Tony EH

Sounds like a bad idea.

weemcd

While I'd have every faith in Turturro as an actor, I've not seen anything he's directed. He's got a decent cast on board, and he seems to have worked with a lot of them on Romance & Cigarettes, which I haven't seen.

But... this can't be good, can it?

pixelburp

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jesus supposed to be a Pedophile in The Big Lebowski, or am I completely mis-remembering that film?

weemcd

pixelburp wrote: »

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jesus supposed to be a Pedophile in The Big Lebowski, or am I completely mis-remembering that film?

8 year olds Dude.

Dades

pixelburp wrote: »

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jesus supposed to be a Pedophile in The Big Lebowski, or am I completely mis-remembering that film?

Pederast! Exposed himself...
No doubt they'll whitewash it to show how it was a misunderstanding and he's not actually a monster.

The really are hanging on the coat tails of Lebowski with the tone and the visuals in that trailer.

Could be fun. Though not a threat to the Greatest Movie Ever Made.

JP Liz V1

mikhail wrote: »

Without the Coens involved, I'm pretty ambivalent. I hope he has their blessing for the 'spiritual sequel' bull, which I feel is close to false advertising.

I assume they consented to this

homerun_homer

The SFX in that trailer are dire, I hope if this is worth seeing that it was just trailer effects and not a sign of what Lebowskiesque sequences it may have.

Mickeroo

weemcd wrote: »

While I'd have every faith in Turturro as an actor, I've not seen anything he's directed. He's got a decent cast on board, and he seems to have worked with a lot of them on Romance & Cigarettes, which I haven't seen.

But... this can't be good, can it?

He directed Fading Gigolo which was very enjoyable I thought. It was on Netflix for a good while, don't know if it still is.

briany

pixelburp wrote: »

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jesus supposed to be a Pedophile in The Big Lebowski, or am I completely mis-remembering that film?

He did a few months in Chino for exposing himself to an 8-year old. Very hard to base a film around someone who's a pederast as that's quite the unlikable trait, but then again maybe the twist is that the exposure was unintentional/accidental, but the circumstances just made it look really bad.

Mickeroo

briany wrote: »

He did a few months in Chino for exposing himself to an 8-year old. Very hard to base a film around someone who's a pederast as that's quite the unlikable trait, but then again maybe the twist is that the exposure was unintentional/accidental, but the circumstances just made it look really bad.

Unless I'm forgetting another scene where it was confirmed the only source we have for that info was John Goodman's character who didn't like him, was mostly full of crap and was a bit of a psychopath. It would be pretty easy to write around it if they feel they have to or just not mention it at all imo.

My dirty undies. Laundry, Dude. The whites.

jim o doom

Mickeroo wrote: »

Unless I'm forgetting another scene where it was confirmed the only source we have for that info was John Goodman's character who didn't like him, was mostly full of crap and was a bit of a psychopath. It would be pretty easy to write around it if they feel they have to or just not mention it at all imo.

John Goodman's character pulled a gun in a bowling alley, so he was a nut job himself, which makes his observations of other's sanity a bit suspect.

Hopefully it's a good film!

briany

jim o doom wrote: »

John Goodman's character pulled a gun in a bowling alley, so he was a nut job himself, which makes his observations of other's sanity a bit suspect.

Hopefully it's a good film!

Yeah, I always wondered how Walter knew about the Jesus when everyone else seemed ignorant of it. Maybe he was making it up, or maybe through his defence connections he has an inch-thick dossier on every single bowling alley regular.

Dades

I, for one, never doubted the veracity of Walter's information.

Though I'm sure there are many comical ways one can show how The Jesus accidentally ended up in Chino without him actually being a sex offender. Though I'd suggest this movie is not for the type of people who care too much about the lead's moral compass.

keane2097

The scene cuts to Jesus walking around a neighbourhood telling the residents that he's on the sex offenders list as per court instruction after Walter mentions it.

weemcd

keane2097 wrote: »

The scene cuts to Jesus walking around a neighbourhood telling the residents that he's on the sex offenders list as per court instruction after Walter mentions it.

My thoughts exactly. Do you think they will revist this? One of the brief pieces of information we have on the character.

Dades

I made it 20 minutes into this movie before parking it.

It feels like a Barry Sonnenfeld caper, but directed by amateurs with no budget. I might finish it at the weekend after a few drinks, but Lebowski this is not.

Nobody should have f*cked with The Jesus.

pixelburp

Wait. I'm confused, it's out already? I didn't see anything about a release date and that trailer didn't seem to have much to it.

Dades

Um, must be on a streaming service somewhere. Straight to (streaming) video would suit it too.

jim-jam

pixelburp wrote: »

Wait. I'm confused, it's out already? I didn't see anything about a release date and that trailer didn't seem to have much to it.

It screened at the Rome Film Festival last October. Looks like it has found it's way to t'internet.

loyatemu

according to Wikipedia as well as being a sort of sequel to Lebowski it's a remake of the 1970s French movie "Going Places" and "Like the original Going Places, it follows a trio of sexually depraved misfits, played by John Turturro, Bobby Cannavale and Audrey Tautou."

so I'm guessing they haven't worked around the pederasty aspect of his character.

[EDIT] - I've just realised that "Going Places" is "Les Valseuses" (which literally translates as "The Testicles" only less polite) which starred a younger, (much) thinner Gerard Depardieu.