There are two men named Jeffrey Lebowski. One's a lazy, pot smoking, White Russian-drinking, hippie who goes by the nickname, 'the Dude.' The other's a self-made multimillionaire, war veteran, who lives in a mansion with a full-time assistant, due to his being handicapped. Their paths cross when the millionaire's trophy wife owes money to a known pornographer, and she's held in lieu of getting his money repaid. The thugs hired by this pornographer initially confront the Dude because they were unaware he has the same name. Wanting payback for his now-destroyed rug, the Dude seeks out the millionaire Lebowski. What follows takes the dude and his bowling buddies Walter and Donnie on a mission full of intrigue, kidnapping, pornography, nihilists, White Russians, and more White Russians.