ada
the leading man is my tpye
PlatinumRead
Just so...so bad
Neive Bellamy
Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.
Allissa
.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
juneebuggy
Great acting all around in this gritty indie drama, but especially from Michelle Monaghan who does a fantastic job as Diane Ford, a self-reliant trucker who is forced to give up her carefree lifestyle (of drunken one night stands) and take on the responsibility of caring for her 11-year-old son when his father ends up in the hospital.You really want her character to succeed here which helped move the story along because the plot wasn't all that original. However in saying that I've never seen the estranged child reuniting with wayward parent done in quite this way before either.All the characters here are damaged in one way or another and the story as a whole is somewhat heartbreaking. Nathan Fillion is always a treat to watch, he is just so likable and it was nice seeing him play a different sort of role. The boy who played the son was also kind of amazing. Benjamin Bratt was a surprise in a supporting role. Ultimately this made me want to hit the road. 03.13
Argemaluco
It is always interesting to see how an independent filmmaker can re-interpret the classic formulas from commercial cinema, discovering unexpected deepness and intense emotions where nothing new seemed to exist.The film Trucker falls into that category, and even though I did not find it to be a great film, it shows enough honesty to make it very interesting, at the same time it is supported by excellent performances.The formula this movie re-interprets is the one of "irresponsible adult takes care of a kid and both end up learning life lessons".That cliché usually impulses pathetic comedies such as The Game Plan, Uptown Girls and Raising Helen.Trucker is not a comedy, even though it follows a similar narrative formula; fortunately, its detailed characters, raw intensity and honest intentions bring to it the realism those comedies lack of, as well as a strong narrative basis in order to tell a classic story in a fresh way.Director and screenwriter James Mottern created an interesting main character with a credible narrative ark; however, he should have polished some details from her a bit more.Besides, this film has a few moments which feel a bit tiring.Nevertheless, the brilliant performances are the main thing which compensate that fails to some point.Many people could think that Michelle Monaghan took the leading role in this movie in order to bring one of those "ugly" and glamour-free dramatic performances which worked for Charlize Theron in Monster so well.However, I would not think like that, because Monaghan had already shown her histrionic talent in the excellent Gone Baby Gone, and in Trucker, she confirms that she is a magnificent actress, at the same time she explores levels of deepness that she did not have the opportunity to show in the action films (Eagle Eye, Mission: Impossible III) and comedies (Made of Honor, The Heartbreak Kid) she has been involved in.I do not exaggerate by saying her performance in Trucker is truly phenomenal, and it is pity that it went so unnoticed by the awards and the film critics.Nathan Fillion also brings a precise and honest performance; Jimmy Bennett shows he is a solid young actor, because his performance feels organic; and I also liked the work from actors Benjamin Bratt (whom I rarely swallow) and Joey Lauren Adams.So, in summary, I would not consider Trucker to be an excellent film, but I liked it pretty much, and I recommend it mainly because of its honesty and its performances.It will be interesting to follow Mottern's career, because he shows potential.
Jay Harris
James Mottern wrote & directed,It is first theatrical effort.I feel he will be a force to be reckoned with over the next few decades.This is a drama of the first order,It is not a happy film.It is a simple story of sad lonely people. None of them are where they want to be. Due to the cleverness of the writer & the superb acting by a non big-name cast, we go along with it and are drawn into what is occurring.Michelle Monagham's performance is an award winning one. This is not a big studio release so thusly it has no big 'PUSH' for any awards.Eleven year old Jimmy Bennett is excellent as her son. Nathan Fillon (TV featured performer)is her caring neighbor. Benjamin Bratt as her ex husband & the lads father is equally great.The cinematography & song score are also first rate.THis is an art house low budget movie so as expected it did not have a decent theatrical release.I highly recommend this drama for all those who appreciate real good film.There is some violence towards the end,BUT this important & not just put in the film.Ratings: **** (out of 4) 97 points (out of 10) IMDb 10 (out of 10)
cadfile
I had the opportunity to see "Trucker" the other day and I loved the flick. The cast did a great job and the look and lighting of the film added to the tone.Michelle Monaghan plays Diane Ford, a long haul truck driver, who has her carefree and relationship free life style upended when a medical emergency forces her to take in the child she abandoned 11 years before. Peter's father, played by Benjamin Bratt, is sick with cancer and his girlfriend Jenny, played by the great Joey Lauren Adams is stuck with other obligations and has to leave the kid with Diane. Peter, played by Jimmy Bennett, is just as cross as his mother at the situation. The film deals mainly with Diane and Peter reconnecting and the change that happens in both their lives.Monaghan kills the part of Diane. She walks fast, talks fast, drives fast, and drinks hard. She refuses to let anyone get close to her including her best friend Runner, played by Nathan Fillion.In the days after Peter shows up you can see Diane struggling with it. It seems to bring back the memories from the time the kid was born and all the baggage she ran out on but she can't run away this time.Both Diane and Peter feel their away around each other since they don't know one another that well. We do see some sparks of maternal feelings from Diane and the kid begins to soften in his anger toward his mom.What got me was seeing Diane's raw emotions at times in her eyes. Kudos' to Monaghan for bring that out in the character. And her character arc is not cliché' or predictable in the least. The film kept my interest for the whole 90 minute running time.I don't get to see to many great female characters in many films but it was great to have the opportunity to see Diane and get a taste of her long journey.