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The Straight Story

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The Straight Story

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Summary

Road movie based on a true story, starring Richard Farnsworth. In 1994, Alvin Straight, a 73-year-old widower, sets out on a journey from Laurens, Iowa, to Mt Zion, Wisconsin, to make peace with his ailing brother. Denied a driver's licence, Straight uses the only means of transport available to him - his 1966 John Deere motorised lawnmower.

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

David Parkinson

Following the excesses of Lost Highway, David Lynch is in mellower mood with this whimsical road movie that, nevertheless, slyly dissects middle-American mores with disarming precision. Exhibiting dignified self-assurance, Richard Farnsworth gives an Oscar-nominated performance as the Iowa farmer travelling by lawnmower to visit his dying brother in Wisconsin. There's selfless support from Sissy Spacek as his traumatised daughter as well as some memorable turns from the various eccentrics he meets en route. It's hard to imagine a gentler film, yet Lynch fully exploits the stately pace to gaze fondly upon life's rich pageant. He also slips in a crane shot of such monumental inconsequence that it borders on the brilliant.

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8.0/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameAlvin StraightRichard FarnsworthRose StraightSissy SpacekLyle StraightHarry Dean StantonTom the John Deere dealerEverett McGillThorvald OlsenJohn FarleyHarald OlsenKevin FarleyDorothyJane Galloway HeitzBudJoseph A Carpenter

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Crew

rolenameDirectorDavid Lynch

Details

Theatrical distributor

Film Four

Released on

1999-12-03

Languages

English

Available on

video and DVD

Formats

Colour

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