Review of The Straight Story (1999) by Andrea W — 29 Jan 2009

I have never been so moved by a film in my lifetime. This story about an elderly man who makes a very long trip to visit his estranged, ailing brother via a riding lawnmower was as poignant as it was simple.

Richard Farnsworth gave a brilliant portrayal of Alvin Straight, the lead character in this true story. I especially enjoyed the way the director told the story through the long scenes with no dialogue but with sweeping shots of the landscape, and the wide angle shots of two people having a conversation that is just barely audible, but that still adds to the context.

This is a must-own for me.