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The Straight Story (1999)
Runtime112 min
RatingU
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A retired farmer and widower in his seventies named Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle 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. He then has the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.
Critical Reception & Ratings
The Straight Story (1999) is a critically acclaimed drama directed by David Lynch that follows the journey of Alvin Straight, a retired farmer who decides to ride his lawnmower across several states to visit his estranged brother. The film was praised for its poignant, heartwarming narrative and Lynch's restrained, naturalistic approach. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and has a high audience rating of 8.0/10 on IMDb.
Why you might like this:
While not set in a zoo, David Lynch's meditative drama about an elderly man's cross-country journey on a riding lawnmower offers a thoughtful, humanistic character study that uses its unusual premise to explore themes of aging, redemption, and the quiet beauty of everyday life, much like the reflective, empathetic storytelling you've enjoyed in films like The Lives of Others.
About
The Straight Story is a 1999 biographical road drama film directed by David Lynch. It was edited and produced by Mary Sweeney, Lynch's longtime filmmaking partner and collaborator, who also co-wrote the script with John E. Roach. It is based on the true story of Alvin Straight's 1994 journey across Iowa and Wisconsin on a lawn mower. In contrast to Lynch's usual work featuring surrealist imagery and adult themes, The Straight Story was produced and marketed as a family-friendly mainstream feature and was the only Lynch film to receive a G rating from the MPAA.
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