The Straight Story

John Chard

2016-02-21

⭐ 9

I want to thank you for your kindness to a stranger. An absolute delight. From director David Lynch, The Straight Story finds the famous purveyor of the oblique on wonderfully mellow form. Story finds a superb Richard Farnsworth as Alvin Straight, an old boy long in the tooth who sets off across America on his lawn mower to visit his estranged brother. You see, he doesn't have a driving licence, so lawn mower is the viable form of transport. Lynch and writers John Roach & Mary Sweeney have offered up a wry and astute observation of Americana. The journey Alvin takes involves him meeting …

r96sk

2020-10-11

⭐ 9

Beautifully made film. It's a difficult one to describe. <em>'The Straight Story'</em> features a very touching, true life, story about Alvin Straight. It's a very simple premise but one that the film brings to life wonderfully. There's a crap tonne of heart, alongside some brilliant cinematography and a top notch score. Richard Farnsworth plays the role of Alvin expertly, it's an outstanding performance from him. Credit also to Sissy Spacek, who makes an impact as Rose despite not really being in the film for all that long. Harry Dean Stanton (Lyle) makes an appearance, too. It's a s…

CinemaSerf

2026-01-06

⭐ 7

I’ve seen loads of road movies over the years, but never one that involved an elderly gent travelling from Iowa to the adjacent Wisconsin driving his lawnmower! “Alvin” (Richard Farnsworth) is a curmudgeonly seventy-something whose health and mobility are failing and who lives with his daughter “Rose” (Sissy Spacek) - a lady without her own problems to seek, too! When he learns that his estranged brother “Lyle” has had a stroke, he determines to visit him after a ten year hiatus. The bus, the train, a plane? Nope. He hitches a trailer to his grass cutter and off he goes. Unsurprisingly, he doe…