Alligator on the Zipper

A movie review originally posted on Amazon in 2014, and reposted recently

A positive and sincere profile of female truckers

Clocking in at a brisk 52 minutes, this documentary looks at the experiences and perspectives of seven female truckers ranging from 10-plus year veterans to relative newbies with a year or less, as well as representing both company drivers and owner-operators. The piece is really a collection of interesting and illuminating character sketches rather than any sort of profile of the long haul lifestyle, though the not-irrelevant topic of trucker stereotypes vs. reality is discussed by several, as is what it's like to be a woman in a field dominated by men. However, those points are discussed evenly, calmly, with good humor; there's no griping or ax-grinding here. Also, much to its credit, the overall vibe of the film is positive, respectful and grounded, which serves to counter the lurid sensationalism of many journalistic exposés of the profession and the "deranged redneck" fantasy often perpetrated by Hollywood.

On the technical side, the camera work and editing feature lots of stylistic flourishes that I found to be a bit distracting on first viewing, although the second time around it seemed slightly less hectic. The director, Ivo Stainoff, has exclusively technical credits listed on IMDb, which might explain his penchant for odd camera angles and extreme close-ups. No one will be bored watching this.

Having driven a truck myself for an aggregate total of 14 years, I enjoyed and appreciated learning about the group of fellow professional drivers featured in this brief documentary. That those professionals also happen to be well-spoken and female is a potential PR boon for an industry sorely in need of a better image.