"Tucker, the Man and His Dream" offers the quintessential Jeff Bridges performance. While not as tricky as his skillful turn in "Starman," the role of Preston Tucker provided Bridges with a chance to use his innate optimism and unflagging energy to create an indelible character. Although nominated four times for an Oscar, Bridges was overlooked for this, arguably his finest performance. Perhaps the idealistic upbeat Tucker was too close to the real Bridges, and Academy members failed to notice that he was acting out the role of his career. The real Preston Tucker was a man of ideas that outpaced his time, which was the post-World War II era. Eager to produce a car that would embody all manner of advanced technology and safety measures from a rear engine to seat belts, Tucker's mind and spirit far outpaced the abilities of his engineers and backers to keep up with him. Unfortunately, he fell afoul of Detroit's Big Three automakers. The automotive giants felt threatened by the innovations that Tucker proposed and feared that the increased costs required to implement the new features would cut into profits. Fortunately, 46 of the Tucker automobiles that were produced are still road worthy and highly collectible.<br /><br />Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who is reportedly the owner of a Tucker or two, the film boasts a cast of professionals that appear to revel in their roles. Martin Landau as the financier with a criminal record, Joan Allen as the epitome of a supportive early 1950's wife, Christian Slater as the devoted son, and a crew of mechanics that includes Frederic Forrest, Mako, and Elias Koteas all provide excellent support to Bridges's central starring role. Jeff's father, Lloyd Bridges, shows up in the small, but tasty role of a corrupt senator. The film begins as a glossy promotional documentary for Tucker, a la "Citizen Kane," and the concept recurs throughout. Joe Jackson's music emphasizes the upbeat gung ho proceedings even in the face of adversity and captures the era effectively. Vittorio Storaro's superb cinematography and Dean and Alex Tavoularis's period art direction are as slick and shiny as the Tucker automobiles that come off the assembly line.<br /><br />While not in the same league as Coppola's "Godfather" films or "Apocalypse Now," the film is an obvious labor of love. Like Scorsese, Hitchcock, and Ford, Coppola's second-tier works are still head and shoulders above the films of less talented directors. Engaging from beginning to end, the story of Preston Tucker could only have taken place in America, where an idealistic man with a dream can come up a winner even when he loses. Jeff Bridges also comes up a winner as Tucker even though he does not have a golden statuette to prove it.