Claim: Jeff Bridges was in a feature-length film written by the Coen brothers.

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American crime comedy film written , produced , and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen . It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey `` The Dude '' Lebowski , a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler . He is assaulted as a result of mistaken identity , after which The Dude learns that a millionaire also named Jeffrey Lebowski was the intended victim . The millionaire Lebowski 's trophy wife is kidnapped , and he commissions The Dude to deliver the ransom to secure her release ; but the plan goes awry when the Dude 's friend Walter Sobchak -LRB- John Goodman -RRB- schemes to keep the ransom money . Julianne Moore and Steve Buscemi also star , with David Huddleston , John Turturro , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Sam Elliott , Tara Reid , David Thewlis and Flea appearing in supporting roles .   The film is loosely inspired by the work of Raymond Chandler . Joel Coen stated : `` We wanted to do a Chandler kind of story -- how it moves episodically , and deals with the characters trying to unravel a mystery , as well as having a hopelessly complex plot that 's ultimately unimportant . '' The original score was composed by Carter Burwell , a longtime collaborator of the Coen brothers .   The Big Lebowski was a disappointment at the U.S. box office and received mixed reviews at the time of its release . Over time , however , reviews have become largely positive , and the film has become a cult favorite , noted for its idiosyncratic characters , dream sequences , unconventional dialogue , and eclectic soundtrack . In 2014 , the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress , being deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . A spin-off based on Turturro 's character , titled Going Places , is currently filming , with Turturro also acting as writer and director .