The Straight Story

Alvin Straight is a retired widower in his seventies who hears that his estranged brother Lyle has had a stroke and might not recover. Determined to see Lyle and patch things up, Alvin faces a basic problem: he lives in Iowa, Lyle is in Wisconsin, and Alvin has no car or license. Rather than give up, he decides to make the trip on his old riding lawnmower, setting off slowly down country roads. The pace is unhurried, the encounters along the route quiet and human, and the film follows Alvin's practical efforts and private reflections without revealing how things ultimately turn out.

Directed by David Lynch, the film adapts material credited to John Roach and Mary Sweeney, with Sweeney closely involved in shaping the screenplay and production. It was released in 1999 and stands out among Lynch’s films for its plainspoken style.

Richard Farnsworth earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Alvin, one of the movie’s most noted honors. That recognition highlighted a career-spanning performance and brought wider attention to the film’s restrained approach.

The Straight Story made an impression because it’s David Lynch in an almost entirely conventional mode, which surprised many viewers. The image of an elderly man slowly crossing rural America on a lawnmower became widely recognized, and the film is often cited when people talk about unexpected warmth in a director known for surreal work.

Critics generally responded positively, praising the film’s gentle tone and Farnsworth’s measured performance. Major themes include reconciliation, aging, humility, and the small rhythms of Midwestern life. It’s a film that favors quiet moments and human detail over spectacle, asking for patience and rewarding viewers who appreciate simplicity and emotional honesty.