Based on a true story, an elderly man from Laurens, Iowa (Richard Farnsworth) learns his estranged brother is sickly and decides to bury the hatchet and visit him in Mt. Zion, Wisconsin. In poor health himself and unable to drive a motor vehicle, he opts to use his trusty John Deere mower as a means of transportation on the nearly 300 mile trek. The Straight Story is old fashioned. beautifully told, sentimental but sincere, and all the more of a wonder considering it is the work of David Lynch, who should be applauded for putting his eccentricities aside and plugging his talents into such a work. Farnsworth is exceptional, usually a memorable character actor, and here finding a genuine and quietly powerful role. The film has great local flavor and many unforgettable sequences, which include one that cannot be forgotten: the old man sharing a beer and his secret war time shame with another WWII veteran.
**** out of ****
