Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Powerful

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Francis Ford Coppola's 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream', based on the life of the Late/Great Preston Tucker and his attempt to produce and market the 1948 Tucker Sedan, is underrated biopic, that hits all the notes. And with Jeff Bridges & The Late/Great Martin Landau in company, its hard not to be mesmerized. 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' Synopsis: The story of Preston Tucker, the maverick car designer and his ill-fated challenge to the auto industry with his revolutionary car concept.'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' captures Preston Tucker's madness & passion to bring an automobile to the people, that was far beyond people's imagination back then. It also captures his scandal between the "Big Three automobile manufacturers" and accusations of stock fraud from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which whom, he won rightly against in court. And Coppola, the genius, is at the top of his game. 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' is among the legendary director's most accomplished works, delivering a biopic that's both fascinating & heartfelt. Arnold Schulman & David Seidler's Screenplay is wonderfully gripping. Cinematography & Editing add punch to the narrative. Art & Costume Design are excellent.Performance-Wise: Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker & The Late/Great Martin Landau as Abe Karatz, the man who helps Tucker achieve his dream, are a Dream-Team. Bridges adds authenticity & charisma to Tucker, portraying a real-life man with full force. And Landau is pure acting gold as Abe, whose performance here, has to be among the strongest supporting turns in the film history. Watching these 2 men unravel here with their gift for acting, left me spell-bound. Of the rest of the cast, Joan Allen as Vera Tucker, Tucker's Wife & Christian Slater as Preston Tucker, Jr, stand out.On the whole, 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' is a winner!

Francis Coppola had ambitions to take on the major studios and failed. His experience lead him to make the film of Preston Tucker who wanted to make better and safer cars after World War 2 and failed as the big boys of the motor industry flexed their muscles and crushed the little guy with big ideas.The film was a hit with the critics but failed to gain much headway with the public. Its beautifully filmed like a homage to those Preston Sturges films and the colourful Douglas Sirk films. It has a wonderful zippy script and a mesmerising performance from Jeff Bridges which should had led to an Oscar nomination. Bridges brings a lot of pizazz to a guy with big ideas and a big drive and he is ably supported by Martin Landau, Joan Allen, Frederic Forrest and even his own father, Lloyd Bridges turns up as a sinister politician.It is heartbreaking to see such dream and ambitions crushed by government and big industry and its a theme revisited by Martin Scorcese when he later made The Aviator, his biopic about Howard Hughes, a character who also features in this film.This is surely one of Coppola's most underrated film and one of Bridges best performances.

Jeff Bridges stars as Preston Tucker, a pioneer of automobile manufacturing in the 1940s. The Tucker Torpedo was well ahead of its time, with disc brakes, seat belts and fuel injection, all new innovations. The big three auto makers plotted against Tucker, not thrilled with the new competition. A real life courtroom drama ensues with a David vs. Goliath like battle with crooked politicians, bad journalism and a man with a big dream. Coppola put his heart and soul into the making of Tucker, much like the subject did into his car. This film is a fine example of bringing to life a man with a dream who never gave up; very inspirational.

This is one of the best films that take place during that key period just after the conclusion of World War 2. It was a period of unbridled optimism about the future of the United States and a time where almost anything seemed possible.The film tells the true story about Preston Tucker(played by Jeff Bridges) and his attempt to create the perfect car for the future, the "Tucker". This car would have everything in it from a rear engine to fuel injection. However, as he gets started building the cars, he realizes that his goal may have been an unrealistic dream as the big three automakers use their power and political influence to try and block him from creating something that would compete with them. The Tucker character is one you cant help but cheer for as he never gives up on his dream.The 1940's feeling of the film is perfectly captured by a zippy score by Joe Jackson and Joan Allen perfectly plays Tucker's supportive wife who stands by him every step of the way.This is a terrific film about a man who never gives up.