In a world constantly sprinting toward the next technological breakthrough, some people prefer to stick to the rhythm of the road. This is the poignant reality captured in David Drake’s feature debut, The Long Haul, where veteran truck driver CJ (played by Margo Martindale) grapples with the inevitable shift that leaves the old guard feeling utterly stranded.
For decades, the open road was more than just a commute; it was an escape, a life lived by instinct and tradition. Yet, as CJ approaches retirement, this familiar existence clashes violently with the demands of a rapidly changing modern world. The film explores the friction between enduring experience and the relentless tide of progress, asking what happens when the established ways of life are systematically phased out by new technology.
CJ, who has spent her career hauling freight across the American Southwest, finds herself confronted not just by personal change but by an unwanted correspondence that forces a painful revisit to her past. The story captures the frustration of being asked to jump through hoops in a system designed for people who prefer to stay put, highlighting the resistance many feel when forced to embrace radical change. In one telling scene, CJ’s exasperation with these new demands culminates in a wonderfully absurd moment: she simply sticks her phone into the freezer.
David Drake, the director behind The Long Haul, is a self-taught filmmaker and photographer whose work speaks to this very tension between tradition and modernity. His cinematic vision brings these deeply personal conflicts to life, demonstrating that even in the most mundane settings, profound human experiences unfold.
Drake’s portfolio features a variety of short films that showcase his unique sensibility. These include Party Wall, which follows a stay-at-home self-help vlogger who becomes obsessed with her neighbors, and Early Worm, an exploration into a man’s attempts at connection. Through these projects, Drake establishes a distinct voice, one that mixes humor and deep observation to explore the human condition in all its messy complexity.
is more than just a story about trucking; it is a meditation on aging, adaptation, and the comfort—or resistance—we find in clinging to familiar routines when the world around us spins faster and faster. It reminds us that sometimes, the most profound journeys are found not on the highway, but within the choices we make about how we navigate the future.
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Credit: Eye For Film
