The Straight Story

That small unpleasantness over with, let me praise the virtues of *The Straight Story*. The movie is a welcome reminder for all of us to SLOW DOWN. Lynch forces us to travel at Alvin Straight's pace, which at first is funny . . . and soon provides opportunities for some inner reflection (entirely possible while watching a film). And, of course, the scenery is beautiful -- Lynch doesn't make a pretensious point of that, he merely presents it. The story itself is about an old patriarch (Richard Farnsworth) who wishes to make amends with his stroke-afflicted brother. Without a proper driver's license, he must drive the 370 or so miles on a lawnmower, with a small camper hitched to the back. Naturally, it's based on a true story.

It's a demanding role for Richard Farnsworth (FAR FAR more demanding than Kevin Spacey's larking about in *American Beauty*), who handles it superbly. This guy pops up in movies every once in a while, and one is always astonished at his dominating screen presence. But, perhaps even more astonishing is Sissy Spacek's lamentably brief work in this movie. Lynch makes a HUGE error by dropping her after 30 minutes. Her portrayal of Alvin's daughter is shockingly one-of-a-kind -- you'll never see anything quite like it in a film again. But that's what great actors do, and Spacek's one of our best.

I recommend *The Straight Story*. It's not a masterpiece, but it doesn't strive for greatness, anyway. It just does its job . . . beautifully.


Adreno-crazed speed frenzy   May 8, 2001
Mr. A. Pomeroy (Wiltshire, England)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

'High concept' is a term usually used to describe blockbuster films with plots that can be summarised in one line, preferably five words long. 'Old man drives lawnmower to meet striken brother' sums up 'The Straight Story', but doesn't really do it justice. Basically a long meditation on growing old, it's a slow-moving road movie that nonetheless remains riveting from start to finish, like a cross between 'Koyaanisqatsi' and 'Wild at Heart'. It's also the only film in which Harry Dean Stanton looks relatively young. Richard Farnsworth's performance in the lead role is excellent and understated, although it's hard to separate the character from Farnsworth (who was suffering from terminal cancer, and who took his own life shortly after the film was released) himself. Faults? Lynch keeps his surrealistic instincts in check most of the time, but they burst out in a pointless scene with a woman who keeps crashing her car into deer. And a later scene, in which Farnsworth walks into a bar and has a beer and some emotional catharsis, seems a bit abrupt and contrived. But that's just being mean. This a great film, one well worth seeing, with a superb soundtrack from Angelo Badalamenti. It harkens back to a short period in the very early-70s when Hollywood produced low-budget, small-scale gems, and gives you faith in cinema again. If there is a cinematic opposite of 'New Jack City', this is it. As for the DVD, you just get a trailer and subtitles, and it's in proper widescreen. The dark bits - and there are quite a few dark bits, as the film takes place partly at night - are sometimes a bit jagged and blocky, but the picture and sound are otherwise fine.


"Tenderness can be just as abstract as insanity"   August 15, 2001
R. di Santo (Toronto, Canada)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Behind the tenderness and the simple story, there is a characteristically dark current running through the images, music and sounds in this film, a feeling of impending darkness. It never manifests itself, but the feeling is there in the abstract, resounding like the magnificent sounds of a towering grain elevator. A constant reminder that in spite of the film's G rating, this is still a David Lynch picture, and he winks at us with subtle suggestions and imagery that will stay with you long after the film has ended. Beautifully photographed, the film displays Lynch's mastery of mood, composition and colour. His second road movie (after Wild At Heart), a marvel of linear storytelling, and a masterpiece. The digital transfer is beautiful, the colours are vivid, the picture is sharp, and the sounds are crystal clear. Highly recommended.