In this in-depth analysis of Bob Rafelson's eight films, Jay Boyer discusses the ideas and technique of this maverick director, whose Five Easy Pieces has long been cited by cultural historians as encapsulating the conflicted, cynical mood of the Vietnam-era generation.

Boyer takes a particularly close look at the search for identity that seems to consume most of Rafelson's characters, from the members of the media-created musical group the Monkees in Rafelson's first film, Head, to the British explorer Sir Richard Burton in Mountains of the Moon, which Rafelson considers his best film. Boyer offers provocative discussions of The King of Marvin Gardens, which has been hailed for the extraordinary performances Rafelson was able to elicit from his actors, and The Postman Always Rings Twice, the casting and making of which became something of a Hollywood cause celebre.

Boyer also examines the long artistic relationship the director has had with actor Jack Nicholson, who served as the inspiration for several Rafelson characters (most notably Bobby Dupea in Five Easy Pieces), and with various cinematographers, including Laszlo Kovacs.