The Big Lebowski's The Dude (a.k.a Jeff Lebowski, His Dudeness, Duder, El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing) takes the reluctant hero element inherent in the Private Eye story and spins it to a whole new level: "All The Dude ever wanted was his rug back (it really tied the room together)." What transpires is an absurdist concoction of ransom, lost homework, and acid flashbacks. The role is played to perfection by Jeff Bridges, who used a lot of his own wardrobe on the film. Bridges' performance brings a lot of humanity and authenticity to a character that could have been a one-note stoner joke (maybe not in the hands of the Coen Brothers, though). A true testament to the character, The Dude has gone on to inspire an entire "religion" of Dudeists who live to abide.