The Big Lebowski may be more fun if you’re already into stoner comedies and classic cinema, because it’s one parodying the other. The cliche in detective novels was a private eye chasing wrong leads but advancing the plot regardless.
but I’ve never seen a Simon Pegg film that I enjoyed (which have been two so far: Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz).
… are you maybe just immune to the meta? Like, if you don’t enjoy Airplane!, I am gonna say this is a you problem.
I liked Airplane!, so I don’t think it’s that I just dislike meta movies. I really enjoyed Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, for example, but maybe that’s more of a subversion movie than a meta movie? I also enjoy movies like Spaceballs, but maybe that’s more of a spoof? I dunno…
I think I get the intention of Lebowski, and I’ve often enjoyed the “protag accidentally bumbling his way into success” trope otherwise, so maybe it’s the stoner movie side of things that messes it up for me, since I only rarely enjoy stoner movies.
I think in both cases, Simon Pegg and Lebowski, it might be the characters that get under my skin most.
Either way, I appreciate your help in trying to figure this out.