With just enough realism and surrealism, Coppola plays this documentary the way a documentary should be played - an individual with a vision and his attempt to push the limits of the envelope in post-WWII industrial America. The period costumes and music are excellent and accurate, the bittersweet punchline at the end is well done and just understated enough. The camera work is vivid in brilliant Technicolor as opposed to the black and white sometimes reserved for this time period. Frederic Forrest, Christian Slater and Joan Allen are all adequate and the gentle acting of Martin Landau complements Bridges frenzied portrayal. But the focus is always Jeff Bridges who carries Tucker's manic, obsessive, genius with amazing ease. Definitely one of my favorites.