in "lost highways: an illustrated history of road movies" writers jack sargeant and stephanie watson note that the film presents doubled images of the two couples, "contrary rituals of affirmation" between early and adele, and brian and carrie, which demonstrate their social and class-related disparities. sargeant and watson also interpret the character of carrie as an androgyne that "offers a threat to order" in the dynamics between early, adele, and brian.