MovieChat Forums > The Big Lebowski (1998) Discussion > Is Walter a Good Friend or a Terrible Fr...

Is Walter a Good Friend or a Terrible Friend?


Or a bit of both?

He defends his friends but also puts them in terrible situations and endlessly berates and argues with them.

Food in Films: Everyone remembers The Dude's classic White Russians, but I love when he orders beers as "oat sodas."

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Bad friend. He is abusive. I would not hang around someone who acted like that.

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A bit of both.

But in real life if you had a friend like that, you would need to seriously question if its worth continuing the friendship.

The character of the dude is far too laid back to do that though.

I knew a guy a bit like that with extreme views. He moved away some years back but I kept in touch on Facebook.

Until he started spouting hard right wing nonsense, practically inciting violence.

I unfriended him and that was that.

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I was thinking more of Steve Buscemi’s character (don’t remember name). No way he should be putting up with that abuse.

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I agree. I know some people are pushovers, but that was extreme. At least once it would've been refreshing to hear Donny say, "Hey Walter, why don't you shut the f*** up!"

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Yes. I like movies where the little guy who’s been pushed around finally stands up for himself.

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Also, that is why I use no social media. No facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat......are there any others. Curiously though, the “extreme right” and “extreme left” seem to be saying the same things. “The police are tools for oppression for the elite”, “different groups of people will always be in conflict and have to live segregated”. I hear that from both extremes.

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Wish more people in the world followed that approach. We'd probably have a lot less insanity.

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The number of people I know who are in feuds with relatives or old friends because of facebook or instagram is sad. I know people who are very nice in person, but have alienated all their friends with their rants online. It seem so pointless.

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Exactly. In those cases, ignorance is bliss. The less people used them, the less riled up they'd probably be. Face to face conversations tend to be far more civil.

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Agreed. Walter seemed like a very high-maintenance friend. Most people could do without the drama.

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I didn't like seeing Donny go

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Walter is an asshole, and a dangerous one at that.

I can't understand why the Dude wants to hang out with a paranoic psycho like him.

Also, he treats all his friends like crap, and he yells and he is violent.

He is worse than a terrible friend, like an abusive husband is not just a terrible husband.
With his awful personality and constant abuse he almost single handedly ruins the movie.

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He's very similar to Begbie from "Trainspotting." In both films, I kept asking myself: Why would anyone be friends with this person?!

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Yes, good one.
It seems that having a common hobby (bowling, soccer) is a good enough reason.

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Every single thing he did in the movie made the situation worse for the Dude. He has no redeeming quality.

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That's true. And I'm surprised his insane gunplay at the bowling alley didn't get him and The Dude banned for life. That's gotta be the most forgiving bowling alley on Earth.

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Its a league game, Smokey

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Well...if I wanted a toe he could get me one, believe me.

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🤣 That really was one of the best lines in the whole movie.

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A good terrible friend? Or a terrible good friend, perhaps? :)

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I think most people have had at least one friend like this at some point in their lives...usually when you're younger and can tolerate the nonsense, but The Dude was old enough to know better!

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With nail polish. There are ways, believe me. You don't want to know about them but there are ways. F*&%ing amateurs!

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He's a dick, but loyal and instantly dropped what he was doing to help a friend in a potentially dangerous situation. He actually put his well being on the line multiple times for the Dude. Everyone needs a friend like that, and you quickly don't notice the asshole side as long as its just words. Some people are just wired like that.

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He's a good friend.
You have to accept some of your friends bull shit, as they accept yours.
He has good qualities. He is down for The Dude and Donnie too, whatever it takes.

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But he's so mean to Donnie! Honest question: Would you be friends with a person who was constantly telling you to STFU like he does to Donnie?

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Lol, it is a luxury that some of my hardcore friends and family indulge in. I do say a lot of stupid shit that runs counter to the program. Donnie is willing to make that compromise. This is his struggle, to speak up for himself, to draw a line in the sand, if not with Walter, than with someone else.
Walter displays his tender feelings for Donnie. Its there.
Many of my friends tell me to fuck off on a regular basis. Like the phone conversation that Dude and Walter have....you know...."fuck you, yeah I'll be at bowling practice."
It's a kind of intimacy. And I bet Walter would not stand for an outsider to speak to Donnie that way. It's the parlance of their friendship.

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Friendships are definitely unique. For me, the way Walter shouts it at Donnie with such vehemence is evidence that he doesn't respect his feelings at all, but that's just my take. By nature, I'm not a fan of aggro people so that colors my opinion of Walter.

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BOTH...RIGHT DOWN THE LINE.

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