Customer Reviews

The Straight Story

5 star:		(190)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

It's a journey of the soul as a man goes home in his heart, in this dramatization of the true story of Alvin Straight, who drove a lawn mower over three-hundred miles through the state of Iowa and into Wisconsin, to see his brother, a stroke victim with whom he had not spoken for ten years. "The Straight Story," directed by David Lynch, recounts the story of Alvin (Richard Farnsworth), who set out to see his brother, Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton), upon hearing of his stroke. Alvin is prevented from driving because of poor eyesight, and he won't take a bus because he doesn't trust another's driving. A widower who lives with his daughter, Rose (Sissy Spacek), Alvin, not a man of means, resorts to the only way he knows how, to get to Lyle. He needs to put the bad blood behind them before it's too late; an estrangement born of "anger and pride." Hauling a make-shift trailer, and with three five-gallon cans of gas and a cooler full of hot dogs, Alvin sets out, alone and determined, on his lawn mower. Now in the twilight of his life, having learned to "separate the wheat from the chaff," the trip affords Alvin plenty of time to reflect on his life, and steels him in his quest to do what he feels he has to do. Along the way he befriends and is befriended by the strangers he encounters; a testimony to the bountifulness of the human spirit. When a young man asks him what the worst thing is about being old, he replies, "Remembering when you were young." Richard Farnsworth gives the performance of a lifetime as Alvin, this stubborn, prideful man, who has learned humility with age, and you can see the wisdom of his years in his eyes. Farnsworth connects with the audience from the beginning, aptly conveying the yearning of a soul in need of atonement, and the determination of the man to effect his amends. Sissy Spacek, also, gives a terrifically nuanced performance as Rose, the "slow" daughter who lives daily with demons of her own. That the members of the Academy failed to nominate her for best-supporting actress for her work here is nothing short of criminal; her Rose is a beautiful piece of work. David Lynch, as well, has done a remarkable job of bringing Alvin's story to the screen. He has woven a rich visual and emotional tapestry, all poignantly delivered with a gentle hand. Beautifully photographed, the lush vistas of the Midwest reflect Alvin's state of mind, underscoring the deeper meanings of what is really a spiritual journey, during which the past mingles with the present. Lynch has taken a wistful, almost poetic approach throughout, which, together with the story is reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries." The scene in which Alvin finally meets up with Lyle is perfectly and touchingly executed, and is one of the most memorable scenes in the movie. The supporting cast includes James Cada (Danny), Everett McGill (Tom), Barbara E. Robertson (Deer Woman), John Farley (Thorvald), and Kevin P. Farley (Harold). With an artistic hand, Lynch has crafted an unforgettable film. "The Straight Story" is Alvin's story, but the journey belongs to us; a reminder of what is really important in life, and the needs we all share at one time or another. It's an entertaining movie that will touch you and make you think, as well; and as far as I'm concerned, that's about as good as it gets.

With 'The Straight Story' David Lynch has weaved together a subtle, fascinating story about age, regret, and family. The tale is of Alvin Straight, a 73 year old man who has seen most of what life has to dish out and learns that his brother suffered a stroke. With bad eyes and no license, he sets out on a journey on a riding lawnmower to see his brother, who he hasn't spoken to in ten years.

What I loved most about this movie is the simplicity; of the story, the characters, the filming. Yet within that classic style is a movie that is incredibly moving. The stories that Alvin has to tell about his life are saddening, touching, and almost frightening. He talks about being old, about fighting in World War II, and about his regrets of not speaking to his brother. He runs into quite a few people along the way who help him out, and their stories contribute to a beautifully crafted script.

Richard Farnsworth is convincing in the role of Alvin. His abilities are most especially outlined in the sad tone of his voice, and the look of regret and hope in his eyes. It is rare that I have grown to respect and adore a character so much. David Lynch's direction is not dark or creepy like his other works, but carefully and nicely photographed in great harmony with the script. The cinematography is smoothe, and the extended takes prove his abilities as a director and the actors abilities as well.

This film is done in a classic manner, and the results are moving in a rare way. I sincerely hopes this film eventually gets the recognition it deserves.

A surprise and a total shock coming from David Lynch; a director who has, in my humble opinion, disappointed me more times than not. "The Straight Story" is simply the best film made in the last decade and will one day finally be regarded as the masterpiece it truly is. How Disney could have bungled the marketing of this great film is beyond reasoning. It is rated G but is no more of a "family" film than "The Tigger Movie" could be considered porn. Children could never understand its deliberate pacing and complex emotional core of patience and moral responsibility. By the end of the film I was choking back tears and so moved I could hardly get out of my seat. Richard Farnsworth and Sissy Spacek give performances that make you remember what acting on film used to mean. Please do yourself a favor and watch it somewhere quiet with no interference so that you may listen and savor this extraordinary movie. There will not be any more like it for many, many years.

This is a wonderful one of a kind movie that showcases the marvelous acting talents of Richard Farnsworth. What a treat to witness his ability to convey a lifetime of emotions without saying a word, with a series of telling looks , sideways glances, and using his sheer innate ability to "emote" to tell his story. This movie shimmers with a fountain of pent-up, heart-felt, but tragically unspoken human emotions. Along the way, we also get to know and appreciate his emotionally challenged daughter, played well by Sissy Spacek. But this trip is really a Richard Farnsworth bravura one-man show. And what a show it is!

We trip the light fantastic with him as he sets out to see a long-lost brother at the end of life, and we get to share in his ersatz adventures with an eclectic cast of all too-ordinary yet extraordinarily beautiful losers he encounters along the way. Of course, his trip on the John Deere is a trip toward himself and toward discovering a lot of things he needs to know to complete his life's journey. This is adult entertainment for the whole family, because it has such a wonderful ring of truth and integrity hovering over it, and an insight about life that lingers even after it's over. Every time I think about Alvin Straight being either naïve enough or ballsy enough to set out on this amazing journey it brings an involuntary smile to my face. He sure wasn't naïve. I think you'll like it too.

Others have justly reviewed this movie positively, and I'm not going to say more except to weigh in with a five star vote to help keep the movie's rating high. It's one of the best movies there is. You'll have to be a grown up to appreciate this film. It is not fast paced. The music is a tremendous complement to the film, the cinematography is just right, it's just a jewel. It's a pity it isn't better known.

If you read the editorial review and the many customer reviews for this movie, all will tell you the same, "great story, great acting, great directing - great movie." By no means, do I disagree with anyone who feels this is a great movie. But instead of writing about what everyone already knows, which is, that this is a wonderful film, I would like to point out the two unforgettable men of this film - Alvin Straight and Richard Farnsworth. Alvin Straight gave us this story. He gave us a story of courage, perseverance, wisdom, and forgiveness. Alvin's story made me wish I knew him personally. It made me wish I was one of those fortunate people that he met during his journey. Richard Farnsworth gave us Alvin. Again, everyone agreed that Richard Farnsworth's portrayal of Alvin was impeccable, and it truly was. But to me, I do not believe that Mr. Farnsworth solely resorted to his acting abilities for this portrayal. I believe he identified with Alvin's physical and emotional trials, since Mr. Farnsworth, himself, was suffering from a terminal illness. And like Alvin, Mr. Farnsworth forged on through the pain. He gave a flawless performance and completed his last film. In many ways, Mr. Farnsworth was giving us himself while he was giving us Alvin. To sum it up, "The Straight Story" went straight to my heart, as it did with every person who witnessed this extraordinary film.

Apart from simply implying that the film is the story of Alvin Straight, the title, "The Straight Story" is also a colloquial reference to Lynch's crystal clear vision. That, appropriately is where all irony ends. The Straight Story is not a film of metaphors or symbols, although the journey of a stubborn man across 370 miles to see his ailing brother, his encounter with a wide variety of folk has been construed as some sort of fable. Lynch, always one to expose the rot the lies beneath the picket fences, has a filmography that would encourage such an interpretation. The story here, from all angles is that of a man and his mower, and ofcourse everything in his long life that has led to this momentous journey.

Richard Farnsworth was nominated for best actor in a leading role, and lost. Perhaps that was appropriate. There is a certain falsehood in the word "performance". He wears the sorrow and the joy of some 70 odd years on his face. Unlike many movies about or featuring elders, the film doesn't presume him to be some ubiquitous fountain of wisdom. He is honest, and whatever wisdom he has was hard earned. The worst thing about being old he tells a somewhat hyper cyclist he meets on the road is "remembering when you were young". Maybe a better accolade for Farnsworth is people's inability to describe how he is in the film. An expression, that seems to emulate from whatever soul human beings have, is worn on his face. It says, and affects, more then is feasible to describe.

There was I recall surprise at the kindness of this film. Not just to Straight, but to the strangers he meets on the journey. They are, surprisingly for Lynch, not only sane, but ones I would be glad to run into if I just happened to be travelling on lawnmower. Lynch's fans would recognize that, although seemingly the opposite of the likes of Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, The Straight Story comes from the same place, the same wordless search for the truth, whether in ugliness, beauty or kindness. In one scene that will be remembered for a very long time: Straight sits with a stranger. They discuss drinking, and from there, the war. There is no music, just brief sounds of battle, but no visuals. Both men experience an unexpected outpour that can only come adventitiously. He remembers those young boys back in the field "I dream of their faces. Sometimes, it's not even my buddies, sometimes its German boys. We were shooting moon-face boys at the end of the war. Every year I live is a year more then they've had". Quietly, this scene dwarfs Spielberg's entire Saving Private Ryan, and Lynch.... I was going to say does it, but rather, he lets it happen with the melancholy in an old man's eyes.

Search if you must but you won't find another film quite like this one. The closest I can think of is Wim Wender's Paris, Texas, another seemingly unaffected film. The elements of The Straight Story are indeed superlative. Angelo Badalementi's score, particularly the twangy violin, soft acoustic guitar of Laurens Walking, is cleansing, mournful, understated. Freddie Francis's photography is breathtaking, but somehow, never overpowers the film. I would call it a masterpiece. But what Lynch and his collaborators have accomplished is a form of cinematic purity that transcends such pedestrian praise. It gains an added measure of poignancy when you consider that Farnsworth took his own life last year in the face of terminal cancer. In the film, a stranger offers to give him a ride to his brother's place. He smiles, thankful and says "I am gonna finish this one my own way". I could never tell exactly why, but his final gaze up at the stars is one of the great moments in cinema.

"The Straight story" was one of my favourite movies of 1999. It is a warm and gentle movie that is not overly sentimental. Every scene has just the right tone.

Fans of David Lynch might be astonished when they hear that their master made a G-rated movie, but to my mind, it is one of Lynch's best films. I think that sometimes, his films are too freaky for their own good, but in "The Straight Story", he completely serves his screenplay and trusts his actors. Richard Farnsworth is really masterful as Alvin Straight. His performance is so effective that he almost moved me to tears. He shows us a man that hasn't lost his dignity despite being old and handicaped. But let's not forget the supporting cast with the outstanding Sissy Spacek. Other great contributions are made by cinematographer Freddie Francis and also by the score composer.

I once wrote that Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" is not always poetic because it strives too hard to be just that. Cinematic poetry cannot be forced, it must develope out of the moment. "The Straight Story" is one of the most poetic films of the decade.

The Straight Story is a film about an old man named Alvin Straight who hasn't talked to his brother Lyle in ten years because they said some "unforgiving things to one another." He finds out that his estranged brother is dying and he decides to make amends and say good-bye. He drives hundreds of miles with a giant trailer attached to a lawn mower. The story is based on facts.

David Lynch is known for his cutting edge, bizarre and perplexing mysteries but when taken into account with all his other films The Straight Story (and it's unusual G-rating) should be no surprise. Lynch went from the completely off-the-wall horror Eraserhead to in my opinion one of the most touching films ever made in The Elephant Man. He is no stranger to drama and it manifests itself in varying depths in every one of his films. It often shows up in the most surprising of places. Lynch is acclaimed and credited more after Mulholland Dr., however, in many years from now he will get many of the same accolades that guys like Stanley Kubrick do now for films like this one. Lynch is a master of his craft and among the best American Directors of our time. It sounds like a bold statement now but the years will tell. I for one will argue his films are timeless.

The Straight Story unfolds at a snail's pace and plays the most straight forward formulas to the tee...I'm not saying that as a drawback but it may not be for everyone. It is the perfect environment for Lynch to show he can direct a great drama with a narrative and some older actors like Richard Farnsworth (excellent as the likeable Alvin Straight) and briefly Harry Dean Stanton as Lyle. Sissy Spaceck is also excellent as Alvin's daughter. If I were to list the most touching sequences in film for me, two come from Lynch films. One scene being when John Merrick is well received by Dr. Treves' wife in the Elephant Man, and the other being a scene from The Straight Story. The scene starts off as a sort of comical and lighthearted part in the movie where twins work on Alvin's broken down lawnmower and they fight while they are doing it. It almost seems like Lynch is being exploitative at first here, but he makes you relate tremendously and feel for these two brothers (especially if you're a twin or have a brother close in age like me). It's so simple but Lynch really has created as likeable a character as you can get in Farnsworth's Straight. Another touching scene is when Alvin is asked by a few bikers what the worst thing is about growing old and he replies "remembering when I was young" with a proud smile. Farnsworth's recent death makes this statement even harder. The comment is layered but comes off as simple like the rest of this amazing film.

Mary Sweeny and John Roach deserve just as much if not more credit for writing this screenplay. I hate giving too much credit to the director but Lynch deserves to be lauded for simply taking on such a pure and uninviting project. The films his real fans appreciate are for the most part on the other side of the spectrum. It seems risky if it were not for the fact that Lynch is pretty much famous for not giving a damn about risks. However, Lynch is the kind of filmmaker who is capable of creating the most profound kind of drama, but mostly his films are viewed as guilty of shock and not seen far beyond that. When Kubrick began creating his films I'm quite sure many people did the same thing. Lynch is a filmmaking wizard and one of these days the whole world will recognize it.

I was incredibly moved by this film, and the incredible performances, notably Sissy Spacek's- her performance is so subtle and subdued and you really feel your heart wrench when you find how the character lost her children through no fault of her own. Haunting, and it stayed with me til this day. Sissy is one of the world's finest actresses.
And all in all this is a beautiful, subtle touchimg film.