Walt Disney Pictures, Rated G
Directed by David Lynch
Written by John Roach & Mary Sweeney

The Straight Story is Lynchian in a way no other David Lynch film has ever been. Lynch is best known for his bizarre films such as the brilliant Eraserhead and Blue Velvet, the classic TV series TWIN PEAKS and the head-scratcher Lost Highway. Highway, his most recent film, certainly had some interesting moments but ultimately was overlong and over-pretentious to the point of almost having a contempt for its audience. Many people felt that Lynch had lost his touch. However, he has regained the respect of many, including myself with this wonderful little film made for Disney.
The film tells the simple story of an old man (Richard Farnsworth), determined to visit his sick brother in another state. However, he has no source of transportation whatsoever and decides to get there on his lawn mower. You heard me right, in fact, this is a true story. The movie is about his long journey and those he meets along the way.
The most important thing about the film is something Lynch knows very well: silence is golden. The silence of many scenes and the long shots speak volumes. It's a wonderful work that is, sadly, repetitive at times. However, when it works, it works beautifully. Farnsworth gives a masterful performance and he definitely deserves a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars like he received at the Golden Globes. I'm glad to see that David Lynch has surprised us yet again. *** 1/2

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