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The Straight Story (1999)

A true story that proves a little determination goes a very, very long way.

DramaHistory

Retired farmer and widower 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.

Release Date
October 15, 1999
Runtime
1h 52m
Rating
7.7/10 (1781 votes)

Director: David Lynch

Cast: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Jane Galloway Heitz, Joseph A. Carpenter, Donald Wiegert, Tracey Maloney, Dan Flannery, Jennifer Edwards

Production: Les Films Alain Sarde, Picture Factory, Le Studio Canal+, Film4 Productions
sibling relationshipmississippi riverwisconsinlawnmoweriowabiographybased on true storyroad tripfamily relationshipsbiting
IMDb
Budget
$10M
Revenue
$6M
Full Cast (36 people)

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Reviews

John Chard - 9/10

I want to thank you for your kindness to a stranger. An absolute delight. From director David Lynch, The Straight Story finds the famous purveyor of the oblique on wonderfully mellow form. Story finds a superb Richard Farnsworth as Alvin Straight, an old boy long in the tooth who sets off across America on his lawn mower to visit his estranged brother. You see, he doesn't have a driving licence...

February 21, 2016

r96sk - 9/10

Beautifully made film. It's a difficult one to describe. <em>'The Straight Story'</em> features a very touching, true life, story about Alvin Straight. It's a very simple premise but one that the film brings to life wonderfully. There's a crap tonne of heart, alongside some brilliant cinematography and a top notch score. Richard Farnsworth plays the role of Alvin expertly, it's an outstandin...

October 11, 2020

CinemaSerf - 7/10

I’ve seen loads of road movies over the years, but never one that involved an elderly gent travelling from Iowa to the adjacent Wisconsin driving his lawnmower! “Alvin” (Richard Farnsworth) is a curmudgeonly seventy-something whose health and mobility are failing and who lives with his daughter “Rose” (Sissy Spacek) - a lady without her own problems to seek, too! When he learns that his estranged ...

January 6, 2026

The Straight Story

The Straight Story

A true story that proves a little determination goes a very, very long way.

A true story that proves a little determination goes a very, very long way.

7.7
112 min

Retired farmer and widower 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.

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Production Info
StatusReleased
Original LanguageEnglish
Revenue$6,418,028
Release Date10/15/1999
Director & Writers

Directed by

Written by

,

Produced by

,

Spoken Languages

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Cast

Richard Farnsworth

as Alvin

Sissy Spacek

as Rose

Jane Galloway Heitz

as Dorothy

JAC

Joseph A. Carpenter

as Bud

DW

Donald Wiegert

as Sig

Tracey Maloney

as Nurse

Dan Flannery

as Doctor Gibbons

JE

Jennifer Edwards

as Brenda

More from David Lynch

Images

The Straight Story poster
Poster
The Straight Story backdrop
Backdrop

Videos

Official 4K Restoration Trailer

Trailer

The Straight Story (1999) | Trailer

Trailer

Official Trailer

Trailer

David Lynch On THE STRAIGHT STORY

Featurette

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Straight Story about?

Retired farmer and widower 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,…

How long is The Straight Story?

1h 52m

When was The Straight Story released?

October 15, 1999

Who directed The Straight Story?

David Lynch

Who stars in The Straight Story?

Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Jane Galloway Heitz

What genre is The Straight Story?

Drama, History