James Mottern’s indie gem Trucker is one of those little movies that’s still waiting to be fully discovered, having only received an extremely limited release back in 2008 after premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival. Despite attracting favorable reviews, most notably a four out of four star rave from the late, great Roger Ebert, who included the film on his list of the 10 Best Independent Films of 2008, this film got sadly lost in the shuffle for many people. Starring Michelle Monaghan in her best performance to date as a long-haul truck driver named Diane, Mottern’s satisfying and unpredictable original screenplay zigs and zags in ways unexpected, grounding the film with a solid emotional hook in the sudden arrival of Diane’s 10 year old son, Peter (the excellent Jimmy Bennett), and pivoting off the big question of whether or not she’s ready to finally be the mother that she never gave herself a chance to be. Diane is a woman very much used to a hardscrabble life on the road, tempted by booze and casual sex, and Monaghan brought just the right touch of salt-of-the-earth toughness that a role like this would require in order to feel believable.
Lawrence Sher’s unassuming yet stylish cinematography showcased the open road, along with Diane’s trusted big-rig, with a visual crispness which gave the picture a sharp aesthetic edge, while Monaghan handled most (if not all) of her own driving, which really ups the level of verisimilitude to the entire project despite it being a roughly $1 million production. Refreshingly, there is a noticeable lack of “process driving shots,” which I absolutely detest seeing in any film; all of Trucker feels lived in and authentic. Nathan Fillion shows up as Diane’s married neighbor, with the two of them entangled in a directionless affair, while she juggles the various issues stemming from her ex-husband’s cancer treatment (Benjamin Bratt in a small but effective performance). Mottern smartly uses melodrama to extract painful life lessons while never cheapening his story with anything artificial or unnecessary, as every scene in Trucker feels exactly as it should, with a finish that’s particularly sublime. Mychael Danna’s subtle yet impactful score seals the deal. This is definitely one of those true, under the radar titles that deserves a much higher profile.
Podcasting Them Softly 