Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

John-310 Grossly under-rated film. True its theme is old stuff, but Michelle's performance should have garnered more attention. I just saw it on TV and didn't even know it existed. I hope the cable exposure gets it some more attention. Nathan had a great relaxed feeling to his acting and was pretty charming as the friend. Ben Bratt was surprisingly believable in the thankless role of the Dad... better writing could have elevated his role, but that would require more depth than the writer may have at this stage...I was riveted to Michelle and didn't know how it would end up decision-wise...I thought the set up for her decision was a bit over contrived to show her change.. could have been far more subtle . Her beautiful facial work could have handled it without the extra drama. Might have been more powerful.Still... she deserved at least an indie nomination..

socrates99 And it is her movie though her kid in this movie is impeccable and as convincing as she is. I wonder what his age is. Oh well. Michelle does not attempt to maintain her looks as Diane Ford. Trucking is not an easy career and it would take a special kind of woman to do it. Knowing that Michelle actually learned how to drive an 18-wheeler for this part proving she is that kind of woman. In fact, she told herself that if she didn't learn how to drive that truck, she would refuse the part.That's astounding when you consider how good she is as an actor. The thing about good looking women is, many of them don't seem to have a real mind working behind the smile. Michelle leaves no doubt there's a mind there, and a real personality to contend with too. It's sheer enjoyment to watch her and she's in almost every frame. The reason is obvious, she is capable of moving the story along almost by herself.The story is fairly straight forward, mom deserts husband and son to live a life on the road, free to do as she likes. Years later she has to take temporary care of that son and finds herself succumbing to her maternal instincts. You see her thrash about unwilling to give up her freedom, but mostly it's a gradual disillusionment with her fairly empty life, despite the same sort of resistance coming from her boy.I enjoyed the movie a lot and haven't seen any actress do a better job bringing a character to life in years. It was quite impressive how well this new director was able to capture and enhance Michelle's performance. The Academy would be shooting itself in the foot if it didn't recognize Michelle for the rare resource that she is.

TxMike This movie was made on a very modest budget, reportedly $2Million which by today's standards is chump change. One of the producers is Michelle Monaghan who also has the lead role as a trucker with a young son she deserted when he was only one. I suppose this was a work of passion for Monaghan and it comes across that way. It is a character study, and it works sometimes, at other times it comes across as trite.Michelle Monaghan is Diane Ford, and as the movie opens we see her having aimless sex on the road. When the young man offers to exchange phone numbers, or email addresses, she just looks at him with disbelief and leaves. That is how her life is, and has been.Jimmy Bennett who was the poor little brother in "Orphan" is Peter, almost an orphan in this story. When Diane left 10 years earlier, he was cared for by Benjamin Bratt as his dad Leonard Bonner. Leonard and Diane had met up when she was 18, she got pregnant quickly, found she could not be a "wife in a house" and that was when she left. But now Leonard is dying of cancer so Peter needs a new home.We wonder, will it work out with Diane, who only sees him as an obstacle? At least at first.I had some difficulty concentrating on this movie. I ended up watching it in pieces on 3 separate occasions. There was one, and only one, moment that made me really care, and really see a point in the story. Peter was asleep on Diane's couch when she came in. She looked at him for a few seconds, then went in closer, she smelled his head, then she put her nose close to his nose to smell his breath. It was the type of instinctive thing a mother might do, especially one like Diane who was more like an untamed animal. It showed she was finally beginning to care about him.

BernardoLima Diane Ford (Michelle Monaghan), a vivacious and successful independent truck driver, leads a carefree life of long-haul trucking, one night stands and all-night drinking with Runner (Nathan Fillion) until the evening her estranged 11-year-old son, Peter (Jimmy Bennett) is unexpectedly dropped at her door due to his father's recent diagnosis of cancer. Peter hasn't seen his mother since he was a baby and wants to live with Diane as little as she wants him, but they are stuck with each other - at least for now, while his father Len (Benjamin Bratt) is in the hospital. Burdened with this new responsibility and seeing the life of freedom she's fought for now jeopardized, Diane steps reluctantly into her past and looks sidelong at an uncharted future that is not as simple or straightforward as she had once believed possible... Trucker is essentially a character study of this woman, Diane, who's a bit of lone wolf but is forced to change her life and behavior in order to be something she doesn't quite know how to be, a parental figure, a mother. Despite her initial struggle, Diane's maternal instincts do kick in at some point as she gets closer to her son, and she also comes to certain realizations regarding her love life and general lifestyle. Trucker's cinematography is great and the soundtrack (composed mainly by country music) is very fitting. Michelle Monaghan was great as Diane and this was probably the most challenging role of her career so far. With no make up and stripped of most of her femininity, Monaghan really did personified this tough woman, alienated from society who's life has taken a toll from being constantly on the road with no real connection, no real relationships. Nathan Fillion did a good job too, giving a tender and genuine performance. Jimmy Bennett, the kid, was pretty good as well. Overall I enjoyed Trucker but I do think the film lacks a little something, I'm not sure if it's development, or if the film is too predictable but there's something missing here. Obviously, films about small town life are usually not very eventful and that's why Trucker relies so much on the acting and on its cinematography but I think the film needed something more. Having said that, Trucker is a pleasant surprise and a very promising debut by director James Mottern.7/10