Big Rig
Directed by Doug Pray
2007

Doug Pray’s ‘Big Rig’ is an inside look at an industry that I’ve always been a little curious about; trucking. The film follows multiple long haulers as they discuss the ins and outs of their industry. Most interestingly is the idea that if these big rig hauler’s were to go on strike or suddenly stop shipping, within three days the country would begin to fall apart. It’s easy to take their service for granted. All of our fresh produce and gasoline is replenished thanks to them. We’re also given a lesson on some of the code words shared among truckers over their CB radios. (A flatbead truck is a ’skateboard’) Some of the female drivers share their thoughts on the dangers of trucking alone, including stories of harsh run-ins with some lonely men looking for love on the road. The film is beautifully shot, using a roadside view of America as the backdrop. It truley gives you a sense of the sites that these folks are treated to during some of their longer runs. I suppose the only real crticisim I’d have about Big Rig is the scattered approach to the subject matter. We’re introduced to a large number of charcters, and it can be tough to keep them all sorted out. I would’ve preferred a closer look at a smaller number of characters rathter than the larger, broad approach to the topic.

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