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The Straight Story

Play trailer Poster for The Straight Story G 1999 1h 51m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
95% Tomatometer 112 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) learns one day that his distant brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton) has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.
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The Straight Story

The Straight Story

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Critics Consensus

With strong performances and director David Lynch at the helm, The Straight Story steers past sentimental byways on its ambling journey across the American heartland.

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Critics Reviews

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Kat Sachs Chicago Reader Apr 25
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. Go to Full Review
Dan Kois Slate 01/21/2025
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. Go to Full Review
Kevin Maher The Times (UK) 07/24/2023
4/5
... 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. Go to Full Review
Chance Solem-Pfeifer Willamette Week Apr 25
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. Go to Full Review
Noah Berlatsky Everything is Horrible (Substack) 01/23/2025
If you're a sucker for sentimental Americana, this is of significantly higher quality than the genre usually manages. Go to Full Review
Peter Martin EverythingButHorror.com 08/10/2024
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. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Reinis T @Tutiblaster 2d Such a moving story and exactly the slow pace of a movie that let’s you escape from the daily mess. Feels like I’ve spent the whole weekend in the plains of USA. See more J C @JC2827 6d No idea how this gets a 91% audience and critic rating. It's pretentious, for example, the girl who ran away from home for 5 months suddenly becomes enlightened overnight to go home. A girl doesn't run away for 5 months unless it was something serious, not something that gets tidied up overnight like a bundle of branches, even from a sincere old man. This movie tries to take advantage of your emotions. It's not based in reality. How is that every person Alvin Straight meets gives him insane amount of hospitality? That's total bs. I don't know, maybe it was different back then, but it doesn't resonate nowadays. I have a feeling people just liked it because David Lynch made a normal movie. Save the 90% ratings for movies like Paris, Texas. That's a movie that truly deserves its praise. See more Kevin P Dec 29 Such a quiet, gentle, and hypnotic road trip movie with a subtle emotional heaviness that slowly creeps up on you. This is David Lynch's only Disney movie, which is such a bizarre pairing that oddly works. The movie is one long slow road trip following an old man riding his lawn mower to visit family. It's a slow-paced, but very unique movie watching experience. I liked the disability representation with Alvin's daughter Rosie. How she's a responsible and caring person and the movie doesn't draw much attention to her status. The soundtrack is soft folksy music, and gorgeous. It's a deliberately slow and methodical movie that shows every step of the way along old Alvin's journey to see his brother. The saddest scene dives into Alvin's WWII backstory dealing with PTSD and alcoholism. The film ends with a short, but sweet reunion of the two brothers that validates Alvin's long boring odyssey. It's a beautifully simple movie about old age and human connection and one that sticks with you. See more Leo W @LeoTW Dec 14 One of my alltime favorite movies for so many reasons that I wont explain and leave the watcher to experience. See more Tom F Nov 21 A story that seems simple on the surface, Lynch and a terrific cast instills every scene with a calm energy and a punch of reality. Rated G and distributed by Disney, this might qualify as Lynch’s strangest film. See more Aldo G Aug 17 A masterpiece about family, the ordinary, and perseverance. A tender David Lynch, an inspiring Richard. Farnsworth and another fabulous score by Angelo Badalamenti. See more Read all reviews
The Straight Story

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Movie Info

Synopsis A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) learns one day that his distant brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton) has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.
Director
David Lynch
Producer
Neal Edelstein, Mary Sweeney
Screenwriter
John Roach, Mary Sweeney
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Asymmetrical Productions, Walt Disney Pictures, CiBy 2000, Channel Four Films, Le Studio Canal +, Les Films Alain Sarde
Rating
G
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 21, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 11, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.2M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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