with just enough realism and surrealism and coppola play this documentary the way a documentary should be play an individual with a vision and his attempt to push the limit of the envelope in post wwii industrial america . the period costume and music be excellent and accurate and the bittersweet punchline at the end be well do and just understate enough . the camera work be vivid in brilliant technicolor a oppose to the black and white sometimes reserve for this time period . frederic forrest and christian slater and joan allen be all adequate and the gentle acting of martin landau complement bridge frenzied portrayal . but the focus be always jeff bridge who carry tucker manic and obsessive and genius with amazing ease . definitely one of my favorite .