francis ford coppola write and direct this stunningly personal story of a married woman flight from her husband and the reality that perhaps the youthful glee and excitement of her young year be behind her . we learn little about this woman marriage except that she have be feel her independence slip away a of late while she also recently learn she pregnant and which have far complicate her heart ( she doesn not want to be a complacent wifey and despite the maternal way she speak to her husband over the phone ) . she meet two men on her journey represent a former college football hero who after an accident during a game have be leave with permanent brain damage and and a sexy and strut motorcycle cop who have a great deal of trouble in his own life . the clear and clean landscape ( a photograph by the very talented wilmer butler ) be astutely realize and a be the character . shirley knight and james caan and and robert duvall each deliver strong and gripping performance and most especially since these be not very likable people in conventional term . some scene ( such a knight first call home from a pay phone and or her first night alone with caan where they play simon say ) be almost too intimate to watch . coppola toy with reality and turn the jagged memory of his character into scrapbook we have be make privy to . he allow scene to play out and yet the editing be quite nimble and the film be never allow to get too heavy ( there be at least two or three very frisky moment ) . it a heady endeavor so much so that the picture be still be show at festival nearly five year later . some may shun coppola unapologetic twisting of event in order to underline the finale with bitter irony and however the forcefulness and drive behind the picture nearly obliterate it shortcoming . from .