This film was AMAZING. For whatever reason, I didn't get around to viewing it until last year. Simply remarkable. In a career of rich, delightful characters, this, for me, is Nicholson's best portrayal.

Agreed. Although many of my friends didn't like it (possibly because of Kathy Bates' infamous hot tub scene) this is one of my favorite films. Like many great roadtrip movies, I love how Jack Nicholson's inner journey parallels the one he takes across middle America. I am writing a roadtrip screenplay myself, and this film provides a great example of travel storytelling on a par with Rain Man or Alexander Payne's other great movie, Sideways.