The Big Lebowski was released in 1998 and directed by the Coen brothers, with John Goodman playing Walter Sobchak, a Vietnam veteran who constantly measures civilian life against his time in Nam. That contrast became one of the film's most quoted running jokes, as Walter brings military seriousness to bowling disputes and everyday frustrations. Clips of his rants later spread through forums, video edits and soundboards, where the single word Nam now works as shorthand for his entire character and his habit of escalating small conflicts.