Trucker

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.

I was able to see this film at the Austin Film Festival 2008. Saw it twice actually, since Natnan Fillion's number one fan wasn't able to go the night I had it on my calendar. Despite problems with the script (didn't always ring true) and definitely with the dialogue (again, problems with truth, and reality), Nathan, Michelle, and Jimmy give fine performances. Dialogue weakness, I would guess, would be a tough thing for an actor to overcome, but Nathan sails through it with flying colors. I would have liked to have asked the director why he chose sepia tones for some of the scenes - they simply didn't fit with the message/action on screen. I'd ask, but he'd probably not answer, like in the Q&A at the Sunday evening screening. (What, me bitter? No.) If I had to guess, I'd say that the director makes some rookie errors since this was his first narrative; and, it appears he was more interested in being an "artiste" rather than telling the audience a story. Overall though, I enjoyed the picture, particularly Nathan Fillion, Michelle Monaghan and Jimmy Bennett.

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.

Q1: Is Michelle Monaghan the ultimate woman? (Only men need answer, or try to). The question is asked seriously, and, you will shortly learn, lies at the heart of this venture, in its DNA, if you will. Monaghan's roles usually lean in that direction. In Mission Impossible, she was Tom Cruise' only vulnerability, and to rescue/avenge her he was willing to risk a world war. In Source Code, Jake Gyllenhaal was willing to bend the very fabric of Space and Time just to be with her; in Made of Honor Patrick Dempsey not only was willing to let go of his swinging bachelor life but almost invaded Scotland to win her; and in Shane Black's KISS KISS BANG BANG she was the ultimate prize, the lost love from your childhood that Robert Downey was granted one final chance at. Against this backdrop, we start to see where this film came from. Either Monaghan or her agent (pick one) was getting concerned over this trend and decided to put her in a "real" part, cast against type, to show that she can play more than one role.

Q2: Does the film work? Yes and no. Yes Michelle can act, and all the players do a fine job of playing parts so gritty you can practically smell the perspiration. Nathan Fillion strays outside his comfort zone – which is TV – and does a nice job. Benjamin Bratt, a generally under-deployed resource, steals every scene he is in. Which is not too hard, because the script and director keep everything on a low boil for pretty much the entire time.

Q3. Does Monaghan's character have Aspbergers? This was not an issue when the film was made, but with the benefit of hindsight, this would explain a lot. If you think so, tell your friends on the Aspie boards.

Q4. Do we really care if Monaghan's body of work will be remembered as skewing to the same role over and over? The real secret of TRUCKER, a fine little film in its own right, is that Monaghan was (and arguably still is) brilliant at playing the "coveted heroine" role and, if it ain't broke, you probably shouldn't try to fix it. In this context, TRUCKER becomes less an indie drama and more a guilty pleasure for Monaghan's legion of fans. Male fans,we should add. But you already guessed that.

I had the esteemed pleasure of attending the New York Premiere of first-time director James Mottern's film Trucker starring Michelle Monaghan. To make even more pleasurable was sitting next to James' father and having him tell me how he paid for his ticket to support his son. I share this for a realization of what James' family conveyed and how closely related it is to his film; a working class family never forgetting where they came from.

Trucker tells the story of Diane Ford (Monaghan), a young female, independent truck driver living life effortlessly and freely. All seems going to plan or lack there of until her estranged son (Jimmy Bennett) is dropped off on her doorstep due to his father's recent diagnosis of cancer. It is this time where we find Diane's world is turned upside down. Responsibility and the maternal instinct, two important things that have laid dormant in Diane's mind for sometime are swiftly reactivated. Along with this new found purpose, all the other elements that have inhabited her life for ten years are rattled; her awkward relationship with her friend Runner (Nathan Fillion), her ailing ex Leonard (Benjamin Bratt), and his new love in his life Jenny (Joey Lauren Adams).

What Mottern succeeds in his narrative his a brave and sensible character study of a woman who has withdrew herself from "real" human emotion. Not as profound as Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler from 2008, but perhaps a simpler tale, one that doesn't require too much of the viewer. For a good chunk of the picture the young Jimmy Bennett does some marvelous work, perhaps the best child performance of the year thus far. Unfortunately Mottern's writing of the young Peter is often stale and unnatural, giving him far too much credit for an eleven year old boy. Though I can admire the work considerably, what I loved about it, I ultimately turned on somewhere within the 90 minute running time.

Michelle Monaghan on the other hand gives her most personal and powerful performance of her career. Her dedication to Diane is some of the finest work displayed on screen this year and is surely to be in serious consideration for an Oscar nomination. Monaghan devotes her mind and heart into one of the most unlikable characters and demands our respect and attention, something not easily attained by an actor. Her screen chemistry with Jimmy Bennett is some of the most natural and beautiful scenes seen in quite sometime, despite it being filled anger and acrimony.

Despite Monaghan being the best chances of the film to garner awards consideration this season, the unsung hero is Nathan Fillion who gives the most tender and heart warming supporting turn of the year thus far. As I'm sure I might be in the minority for the praise of this actor, I feel inclined to give a superb performance its proper due. I admire it greatly.

Other strong aspects of the picture lie in the cinematography of Lawrence Sher is should find himself with an Independent Spirit Award mention this year as well.

The film is definitely worth a watch and as it may not fit well with everyone, you have to admire the attempt nonetheless. Michelle Monaghan and Nathan Fillion give some of the best works of the year and it's always great to see the birth of a writer/director like James Mottern and where he could go in his career. Trucker is definitely worth the watch.

***/****