The Straight Story

I bet you never would imagine that David Lynch directed a movie like this.

Even more so, I bet you would never see the words Walt Disney Pictures presents a David Lynch film, a conjunction of words I can scarcely believe now. But it's true. I actually did not know about this movie at all until fairly recently from one of my reviewers and I knew I was gonna get around to it one day. Based off a true story, Alvin Straight hears tale that his brother who he fell out with 10 years ago had a real bad stroke, and he is determined to go see his brother and make amends. But he can't see too well, he has trouble moving, and he doesn't own a car or can get a ride. So he hitches a trailer, stocks up on food, and sets out from Iowa to Wisconsin, on his lawnmower. And I'll be damned, I was entertained for the almost 2 hour runtime and felt the pacing was spot on. I know you hear that synopsis and figure it's more of an experimental film to test a person's patience like that 12 hour film shot in real time of the Empire State Building, but you'd be surprised how much happens in it. Nothing big or bombastic, the most thrilling thing that happens is Alvin going down a steep hill quite quick and it by God has tension to it. It takes roughly 25 minutes into the movie for him to begin his trek, and he meets several people along the way and the interesting part is you learn something new about him each conversation he has. He meets a young runaway and tells her how much family means to him and that he had 7 kids before his wife passed, he meets a group of cyclists and discusses getting old and how rough it is, he goes for drinks with a stranger in town and they get a lot off their chest recounting their history in the second world war (By the by, best scene in the whole movie bar none.), and it is a mighty good story. There's good stretches of time without dialogue but every conversation has meaning and purpose to be, as I said the pacing is perfect knowing just how long to stick around an individual, a landscape, a moment. I'll never forget one line that's gonna stick with me for a good long time, "It's amazing what you can see when you're sitting down." I mean really think about this, we live in a world and age where you can do so much sitting down. Learn new things, see the world, talk with friends as if they were sitting across from you, the world is at your fingertips with speeds almost incalculable. So why is everyone moving so fast? I ain't never been fast and I doubt I'm going to get faster in the days to come, so a movie like this is my pace personified in cinema. I can keep up with your lightspeed sci-fi, and rhythmic up tempo action, but this is pretty dang close to my speed. I genuinely believe this can't be topped, like bring it on Mulholland Drive, cause this movie was wonderful. I loved it so much, I thought it is such an optimistic story with really remarkable actors who can say a bit but you see much more in their eyes, it's the most non-David Lynch David Lynch movie I've ever seen and yet I think it's my favorite. People are always gonna talk about Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, yet this is the one for me. Give it a watch, feel the emotions, see those beautiful blue skies and golden sunshine permeate the scenery, I don't think you'll even be super disappointed with the ending. 4 stars, 10/10, I can't find a bad thing to say so it gets that score and we'll wrap up tomorrow with Mulholland Drive. You and me tomorrow Naomi!