The Straight Story

A beautiful story about an elderly gentleman deciding, in his old age, to embark on a journey to visit his brother who had a stroke. Both brothers don't have the best relationship and haven't seen each other in a long time, so Alvin's journey is a personal catharsis. This really isn't your classic David Lynch movie, but thanks to how easy it is to understand, and how it presents human destinies with strength but without sentimentality, you can watch a unique film that, within an hour and three-quarters, shows how beautiful and terrible life can be. Whether we want to deal with it or not, old age is out there waiting for us. But old age doesn't mean we stop living; it just means it might hurt more. (17/03/2014)

This is the David Lynch I admire and respect. A recital by the incredibly likeable Richard Farnsworth, whose character is etched deeply, deeply into my heart and memory. This is one of the most beautiful, moving, and best made films I've ever seen (and not just among road movies). Visually and musically captivating. (21/01/2014)

Not only the most beautiful road-movie I have ever seen, but also a moving film about the autumn of life that inevitably awaits each of us and about brotherly love, for which even failing health and an uncomfortable journey on a tractor over great distances is no obstacle. Even very ordinary things can be extraordinarily beautiful when presented in such a sensitive way. David Lynch is a very wise man... (02/03/2008)

Quite atypical Lynch, at least in terms of surface touch... A captivating story about a stubborn grandfather who one fine day grabs a tractor and takes a long ride through the world to reconcile with his brother. The typical road movie form in Lynch's hands is not boring at all, the sequence of poetic and funny stories has enormous inner strength, and the cheerful wisdom of an old and gnarled man, played brilliantly by Richard Farnsworth. But there are also traditional "Lynch" hallmarks (the deer scene) in the film. Pleasant, smooth, poetic. A beautiful film. (27/07/2004)

It's not often that a director like David Lynch can move an audience to tears (except for Elephant Man, of course). The Straight Story is such a sensitively and, above all, civilly told story with beautiful music that not one of my eyes remained dry. An excellent Richard Farnsworth in his final role. (20/05/2009)