Name: The Straight Story
Released: 1999-10-15
Cast: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Harry Stanton, Everett McGill, John Farley

Willamette Week

Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Lynch directs the quiet saga of septuagenarian Alvin Straight piloting his riding lawnmower from Iowa to Wisconsin the way only Lynch knew how—equal parts tenderness, agony and entrancing patience.

Sometimes a director’s best film and maybe even their most characteristic, if you really think about it, is the one you might least expect, as can be the surprising nature of auteurism.

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Everything is Horrible (Substack)

Noah Berlatsky

If you're a sucker for sentimental Americana, this is of significantly higher quality than the genre usually manages.

When the movie’s end arrives, it’s a scene of cosmic beauty, accompanied by Angelo Badalamenti’s ethereal score—pure cinematic liftoff, a triumph of writing, direction, acting, casting, all the things that make a movie take flight.

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EverythingButHorror.com

Peter Martin

Felt like soaking in an elegy for past time, and coming to terms with the consequences for a lifetime of actions. .... An ineffably gorgeous film, which becomes more affecting with every viewing. ... A celebration of what was and what will be.

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Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network

Joe Lipsett

A sweet, simple story that feels unorthodox for Lynch, but eventually reveals it contains a number of his signature themes and visuals. Farnsworth's Oscar nomination was well-deserved; he anchors the film with humanity and boundless empathy.

This is probably the best Disney movie I've ever seen, and I can't imagine how anyone (and I mean anyone) could not find something appealing about this wholly wonderful narrative.

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A Good Movie To Watch

Farah Cheded

As Alvin, [Richard Farnsworth] grounds the film in no-nonsense authenticity, meaning it never feels overly sentimental (in spite of the Disney affiliation).

... An elegiac portrait of a fading American heartland wrapped around a tear-jerking depiction of a man reflecting on his life losses with regret and resignation.

The movie is exquisitely simple, near-plotless, as Alvin makes his slow journey from Iowa to Wisconsin. As always, Lynch draws the scenes out, letting them breathe, giving us time to drink in the images.

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The Straight Story | Full Movie | Movies Anywhere

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