Road Games (1981)

"Just because I drive a truck does not make me a truck driver." - Quid

A truck driver tries to catch a serial killer traveling on the highway.
Starring: Stacy Keach, Jamie Lee Curtis, Grant Page

Link to IMDB

I thought I was just going to watch a dumb trucker flic, but instead I found an excellent film!

Pat Quid is not your typical American trucker. Not only does he seem far too educated for such a tedious job, he's also motoring across the Australian outback. With only his dog for companionship, Quid likes to pass the time by being a voyeuristic witness of other travelers on the highway and creating stories about their lives. When he hears about a serial killer in the area, a suspicious green van piques his active imagination. As far as Quid can tell, all the signs point to this van belonging to the killer. Trying to contact the police in the middle of nowhere proves futile, so he decides he's gotta find and stop the killer himself.

Quid gets help from a hitchhiker named Pamela, although he nicknames her Hitch. She's just as curious about the green van and the two begin to bond as they deduce and fantasize about how the killer operates.
Following clues that may or may not be accurate, they are getting dangerously closer to the supposed killer, but the police are beginning to suspect that Quid might be the real danger on the road.

Hitch

This movie has been described as Rear Window on the road, and that is a very accurate summary. Alfred Hitchcock's influence is felt throughout, and it's an absolute delight to see a modernization of his ideas that actually works. The suspense, tension and twists are all perfectly executed, and the movie even plays with some dark humour.
Stacy Keach is superb as Quid, and we quickly get invested into his paranoia and obsession, as he's compelled to play a dangerous game to find the truth. I really appreciated the dialog, as it all feels carefully planned to reveal clues, making you wonder what is going on inside Quid's head. Sleep deprived and paranoid, he's not exactly the most trustworthy hero to see the world through, and that constant questioning of what is really happening becomes very gripping.

My only complaint would be that the ending gets a little sloppy, but it doesn't detract from all of the excellent moments that came before it. This is one of those movies that I wanted to keep watching more of, so it would be hard to be completely satisfied by any ending, really.
Full of beautiful cinematography, clever visual devices, and a captivating mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end, this is one of the best Australian films I've ever watched.

Be sure not to miss:
- Hitchcock cameo on the magazine cover.
- Dingoes can bark, it's just very rare that they do.

Internet review:
"A competent and unrelentingly entertaining thriller." - Lovelace

Should I watch it?
Highly recommended.

Where can I find it?
Links here. veehd

Road Games gets...