Film Review: THE LONG HAUL: Margo Martindale Delivers a Career-Best Performance in This Emotional Drama [Tribeca 2026]

The Long Haul Review

The Long Haul (2026) Film Review from the 25th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, a movie written and directed by David Drake and starring Margo Martindale, Stephen Root, Cole Sprouse, Yalitza Aparicio, Wes Studi, Jefferson White, Kelsey Landon, Sam Quinn, Fred Bryant Sr., Ward Bank, Diron Hill and Scott Sponseller.

Filmmaker David Drake’s truly moving film, The Long Haul, examines life after loss in challenging and emotionally intriguing ways. This movie centers around a truck driver known as CJ whose life is her work. She goes on long jobs and doesn’t return to check her telephone answering machine too often. One day, she gets a very frustrating message that will change her life forever. Drake keeps the picture moving at a steady pace as he unveils the pieces of CJ’s difficult existence and the ways she copes with a tragedy that has altered her way of life forever.

Stephen Root plays CJ’s legal advisor who informs her that the man who killed her daughter is coming up for parole. This information shakes CJ who believed that the man would serve time in prison for the rest of his life. That turns out not be the case as CJ digs deep inside her soul to try to forgive as an appearance in court will certainly happen and she will have to face the killer in a very heartbreaking manner.

Cole Sprouse plays Alex who is CJ’s colleague who is, of course, much younger than CJ. There is a fascinating rapport between Alex and CJ within the picture that is believable and both Martindale and Sprouse play off each other extraordinarily well in their moments together within the film. Yalitza Aparicio portrays a migrant who also bonds with CJ over the course of the picture. Aparicio stands out with a deep, stellar supporting turn in a film that is very emotionally resonant and has a lot to say about the human condition.

Martindale is absolutely terrific in her role. She aptly plays the part of a woman who is consumed by her work as a coping mechanism to come to terms with her less than perfect, somewhat ordinary, life. CJ is a hard-working woman who sends blank postcards to remind herself of where she has been and where she may end up going in her future.

CJ is a wonderfully constructed character and a major scene in the courtroom towards the end is a powerhouse opportunity for Martindale to excel in a role that is well-deserving of accolades and, perhaps, even Oscar talk for the underrated Martindale who may be great in whatever she does but has never been this amazing on-screen. Martindale becomes CJ in such a way that one can’t help but sympathize with her predicament. She loved and lost and has to face the consequences of a legal system that is flawed and fails to offer the kind of justice she thought would be achieved.

There are some minor flaws with The Long Haul. It starts out slowly and if one didn’t know where it was heading, one may feel that the movie is way too ordinary. Drake builds his characterizations with a purpose so don’t be fooled. If the movie starts off a bit slow, there’s a purpose for that as CJ’s inner emotions are hidden at the beginning of the film. Martindale will surprise viewers with how much her character changes in each passing moment of The Long Haul.

In support, Root offers a solid performance as CJ’s confidante who offers her advice while making her realize the reality of a situation that seemed much different on the surface than it turned out to be in actuality. Sprouse shows his range as an actor with an earnest performance while Aparicio steals scenes whenever possible.

Make no mistake, though. This is Martindale’s movie to own from beginning to end. CJ is a woman torn apart by grief who puts up a tough exterior and survives the only way she knows how – by working hard. She supports herself in such a way that she neglects to remember that there are, indeed, other people that exist around her even after the death of the child she loved so much with all her heart.

Martindale deserves an Oscar nomination for her work in The Long Haul. She’s been long over-looked for her fine work and Drake gets the very best from her in his debut feature film. Martindale is alive and mesmerizing whenever she appears on-screen. We feel her character’s pains and passions as well as her inner sorrows. She changes significantly over the course of the film in such a way that her life can never be the same, but she’s still a survivor anyway you cut the pie.

We watch Martindale’s character transformation in awe as the actress seems to make it happen almost seamlessly. The Long Haul doesn’t have all the answers, but it knows the struggles of women like CJ who do what they have to do to survive whether it pains them inside or not. CJ is a strong character, written with depth and intelligence and Martindale captures her essence to perfection.

Rating: 8/10

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