The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Joel Coen Ethan Coen (uncredited)
Produced by	Ethan Coen Joel Coen (uncredited)
Written by	Ethan Coen Joel Coen
Starring	Jeff Bridges John Goodman Steve Buscemi Julianne Moore David Huddleston Philip Seymour Hoffman
Music by	Carter Burwell
Cinematography	Roger Deakins
Editing by	Tricia Cooke Roderick Jaynes
Distributed by	Gramercy Pictures
Release date(s)	March 8, 1998
Running time	118 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$15,000,000
Gross revenue	$17,451,873 (USA)
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Jeff Bridges stars as Jeffrey Lebowski, an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, who calls himself "the Dude". After being mistaken for a multimillionaire of the same name, Lebowski is commissioned to deliver a million-dollar ransom in order to secure the release of the millionaire's kidnapped trophy wife. The plan goes awry, and the Dude's friend Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) further complicates the ordeal. The film is narrated by a cowboy known only as "Stranger", played by Sam Elliott. Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Huddleston, Julianne Moore, and John Turturro also star in the film. The film's structure has been compared to Raymond Chandler's novel The Big Sleep. The original score was composed by Carter Burwell, a longtime collaborator of the Coen Brothers.

The movie was not a commercial success (it grossed only $17 million domestically), but it received generally positive reviews from critics. The film, noted for its idiosyncratic characters, surreal dream sequences, unconventional dialogue, and eclectic soundtrack, has become a cult favorite and has been called "the first cult film of the Internet era." The film's devoted fans have spawned Lebowski Fest, an annual festival that started in Louisville, Kentucky in 2002 and has since expanded to several other cities.