Rating: 
Summary: Straight Star
Review: This is definitely the best movie I've seen in weeks. The acting, directing, the filmatography work - they all combine into this beautiful one-man-story who is actually something of a cosmic story. Richard Farnsworth is wonderful, and so is the rest of the cast. It made me feel so good that there are such nice people in the world, after all! Wholesome, healthy, peaceful - I can still see the cornfields stretching in front of me.
Rating: 
Summary: You don't have to be old to enjoy this film
Review: Richard Farnsworth deserves an Oscar for his performance. Sissy Spacek should have been at least nominated for her supporting role as well. Once again, David Lynch delivers another unique movie. I went to this movie not knowing what to expect. Needless to say, it was entertaining without any modern movie staples like sex, violence, big stunts, loud explosions, high budget, etc. (not that there's anything wrong with that). However, ?The Straight Story? can engross you with moments of complete silence. Fansworth's character spoke volumes with a simple look. His eyes and face were the most effective storytellers. The rest of the cast also did an excellent job without having to ham it up. This movie is a must see.
Rating:
Summary: Moving and Unforgettable
Review: The Straight Story is a movie so beautiful to look at, with so many unique characters, such a lucious soundtrack, and such a moving storyline - that it will be a movie you will always remember. While this movie is rated G and is from the folks at Disney, this is in no way a children's movie. It's a movie about family, about forgiving, about the human spirit. Children will most likely be easily bored by this movie, and not be able to appreciate the depth found within this movie. The scenery of the American Midwest is beautiful. And the beautiful soundtrack adds to the feel of everything. This is quite a departure for David Lynch, but this shows what a gifted director he is. Wonderful performances by Richard Farnsworth and Sissy Spacek. One of the years very best. :0)
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Generation Shows All of Us the Way--Again
Review: As John Straight, Richard Farnsworth evokes two seemingly disparate traits: tenacity and serenity. On the one hand, his quiet determination to drive a John Deere tractor/lawnmower across Iowa, with an old, broken-down trailer behind him, to see his ailing brother Kyle in neighboring Wisconsin, is tenaciousness defined. On the other hand, when he gazes silently at the immense, star-filled night sky above him, his eyes beam complete and total peacefulness and serenity to the moviegoer.. Sissy Spacek, as Straight's slightly "retarded" but wise daughter, masterfully plays her role--as usual. Her understanding of her father demonstrates the depth of "life knowledge" that many so-called retarded persons acquire as they deal with life. Spacek's mournful gazing at the little boy playing on the sidewalk outside her house is quite touching. Yes, the "action", as it were, moves slowly, but that becomes a plus, lending a calm and easy pace to the film that, to me, is especially welcome. It is not seen nearly enough on today's movie screens. This is a movie that requires each viewer to look within himself in search of the "don't sweat the small stuff" attitude seen in Farnsworth's evocative and splendid performance. I recommend this movie to EVERYONE. It's full of "roses"; all one need do is look for them and smell them.
Rating:
Summary: beautiful, and yes, typical lynch
Review: Everybody says how unlike this is from anything in Lynch's oevre. Nonsense. Fans of this film should see the Elephant Man and vice versa. Lynch is a very sensitive artist and this film, like all his others deals with innocent and sensitive individuals in a sometimes less than hospitable world. But the film is in no way depressing. The imagery is lovely, beautiful music by Badalamenti and the two lead performances are truly Oscar-worthy. A must-see for Lynch fans and everyone else, too.
Rating:
Summary: a (mostly) orthodox story
Review: wilhelm furtwngler; the conductor of the berlin philharmonic up until 1954, had a very unorthodix beat. indeed, his conducting was in itself unorthodox. he had heard some grumbling amongst the orchestra members that his beat was hard to follow, and that his conducting was too improvisational.
he then appeared before them and said ' so you dont think i can give you an orthodox beat?, okay let's go' and he proceeded for several minutes to do a 'by the book' reading of brahms. he then stopped. ' see i can do it, but it has no life. its not interesting!'.
the same could be said for the films of david lynch and his most ardent critics.
lynch has, all along, been able to tell a story straight, as he did here and elephant man. but even then lynch has to be lynch. he has to filter the story through his own sensabilites and style.
elephant man and straight story both have lynchs style deeply stamped upon them.
elephant man has his visual artistry, straight story his quirkiness.
the beauty of straight story is this is his 'g' rated quirkiness, and that's very appropriate for a man,who despite all of his progressive accomplishments in film, still lives in the suburbs.
with straight story lynch set out to prove that he could indeed tell a story straight and its most certain there was a sly wink in titling this film.
he actually upped the furtwangler philosophy one in that he did an orthodox narrative and STILL made it interesting, but naturally its still lynchian all the way through.
by the way this was farnsworth last film. he was terminally ill and took his own life about a year later.
he was a charactor actor with grace and vulnerability.
he will be missed
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Accomplishment
Review: A surprise and a total shock coming from David Lynch; a director who has, in my humble opinion, disappointed me more times than not. "The Straight Story" is simply the best film made in the last decade and will one day finally be regarded as the masterpiece it truly is. How Disney could have bungled the marketing of this great film is beyond reasoning. It is rated G but is no more of a "family" film than "The Tigger Movie" could be considered porn. Children could never understand its deliberate pacing and complex emotional core of patience and moral responsibility. By the end of the film I was choking back tears and so moved I could hardly get out of my seat. Richard Farnsworth and Sissy Spacek give performances that make you remember what acting on film used to mean. Please do yourself a favor and watch it somewhere quiet with no interference so that you may listen and savor this extraordinary movie. There will not be any more like it for many, many years.
Rating:
Summary: Poignant and Moving
Review: In my book this is an excellent movie, but one you just have to relax into and let unfold. The movie isn't so much about Alvin Straight as it is about the people he meets and how they interact with him as he slowly journeys to see his brother. I think it's one of David Lynch's best movies, but one for which the average Lynch fan will probably walk away shaking his head. Nothing much happens and a lot happens. The things that happen have to do with how people see each other and how they change. Richard Farnsworth, who was old and sick himself, plays with great dignity the old and sick Alvin Straight. If you watch this movie with an open mind, I think you'll be affected by it.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Mature Sissy Spacek Yet
Review: The DVD case said, "Also recommended: *Spitfire Grill*, *Fried Green Tomatoes* and *On Golden Pond*." But if you've seen those, you've seen this. And, if you *like* those (and I do), you'll like this. This is not really Sissy's story, though - it belongs to Richard Farnsworth, who died immediately afterward. An unexpected turn by director Lynch (*Blue Velvet* and *Wild At Heart*), without any of the irony and surrealism that he thrives on. A gorgeous score emphasizes the endless sweeping shots of America The Beautiful, with the attendant spacious skies and amber waves of grain. This is the backdrop for the story of Alvin Straight (Farnsworth), who, for a variety of reasons, decides to drive his lawnmower 300+ miles to see his brother. It is a true story, and you know right off the bat, that this is going to be a tearjerker - Alvin is increasingly infirm at 73, and learns that his estranged brother has had a stroke. He lives with his daughter, Rose (Spacek), who is "slow." This is the most mature Sissy yet - she could rest on her laurels and still be hailed as a major actress entering her fourth decade of moviemaking - though in this, she is a minor, but unforgettable, character, and has excellent assistance from the other supporting cast. The reunion between the elderly brothers looms large throughout the last half. As snapshot-like vignettes spin by, we are propelled towards the inevitable meeting, which promises to be a gusher - but isn't. Though it ends rather abruptly when Alvin shows up at his brother's place six weeks later, the story has been told, gloriously.
Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming family film
Review: This film is fantastic! It's a story about a man who travels a great distance on an old john deere lawnmower to see his brother that he's not seen in 10 years. It's a wonderful family-oriented film that deals with lots of issues and is surprisingly deep for a Disney film.
Originally I thought that this film might be kind of sappy and tha I might not like it, but I ended up loving it. Richard Farnsworth, usually seen as a stunt man, became the oldest man to receive a best actor academy award nomination for his work in this film. (He lost to Kevin Spacey.)
This film has nothing offensive in it that I could find. I don't think there's even any swearing. So if you're looking for a great film to watch with your children and your parents, this is a great one to consider!
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