"Big Rig" DVD Review -- Written by Anthony Thurber

Big Rig
Year: 2008
Director: Doug Prey
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Screen Media Films / Ocule Films
Running Time: 95 Mins
Review Rating: 5 Stars
Official Website: http://www.bigrigmovie.com/




Big Rig is the latest film from director Doug Prey, who back in 1996 directed the great rock documentary “Hype!” on the Seattle grunge music scene. This time he's back with Big Rig, which had its premiere back at the 2007 South by Southwest Film Festival and was the winner of the American Film Market Award at the 2007 Silverdocs Film Festival.

The film is about America seen through the eyes of truck drivers. This is a film that goes into the lives of these drivers and the effects that they have to deal with being on the road for most of their lives. Big Rig also has some insightful stories that are some of the most interesting stories that you will ever hear. This film will definitely give you respect for these people and the sacrifices they make in their personal lives.

Big Rig is one of those films that I didn’t expect that I would enjoy a lot. The reason I thought this way was that it had to do with trucks and truck drivers, something I’m not really interested in. But to my surprise, this wasn’t the case at all. This is one of those films that defines what America is today.

Big Rig is an excellent look at the hard working blue-collared people, who drive cross-country to make sure that everyday Americans have the necessary things to live. Director Doug Prey does a great job capturing the hard life that these truckers have to go through. He does a good job interviewing his subjects. I thought that his interviews were very interesting. Prey does a great job covering all the aspects of their lives on the road. The subjects had interesting stories, which made each of the segments interesting. I like how he gets both the female and male truckers perspectives on being on the road. It really show that Prey wanted to get both genders covered, especially with the female side. The stories also brought a sense of how hard life can be for these people.

If there was one thing that really captured the subjects and the miles they have to drive was Prey’s overall direction and shooting of the film. I liked how he moves the movie along by getting different perspectives of life from various truckers. It helps make the topic of his film very interesting and accessible to those that are not into this topic, like me for example. Prey also along the way manages to film some of American’s most beautiful landscapes. He does that, so that what you see is what most truckers see, when they are driving cross-country every day.

Big Rig is one of those fascinating documentaries that you have to see to understand the average working person. It’s a hard and very interesting look into the trucking industry and the people who travel every day.

DVD Extras:

Filmmaker’s Commentary
Behind the Scenes with SIRIUS Satellite Radio’s Road Dog Trucking Show
Safety Tips
Music Video
IdleAire Up-Close
Deleted Scenes