The Straight Story (1999)
The Straight Story
I truly don’t understand how David Lynch is able to make some of the weirdest movies I’ve seen, and then on the flipside, with this one, he makes one of the most beautiful and heartwarming movies I’ve ever seen. It’s so hard to even explain why it’s so beautiful. You have to see it to understand it. I think the most captivating thing about the whole movie was Richard Farnsworth. He steals the show in every way possible, and there’s no way this movie would’ve been as good if he wasn’t in it. He brings so much warmth, and I just wanted to give him a big hug. The movie also hits much harder after I learned that Farnsworth took his own life shortly after this movie was released because of his cancer problems. It’s tragic, and I only appreciate him even more. It’s one of the most touching performances I’ve ever seen. God bless him. Moving on, the story was really good, and based on true events. It’s simple: a man drives his lawn mower to visit his brother. But along the way, he has some little adventures, and you learn more about love, family, and how to live and enjoy life. Everyone can take something away from this, and they might all be different things. The cinematography also adds on to the beauty. The late 90’s quality with the farm landscapes and midwestern scenes really makes this perfect. I truly don’t think words can describe the absolute masterpiece that this is. It left me thinking about it for quite some time now, and I think it’s gonna be a long time before I see another movie on this level. I’d recommend it to all drama/adventure fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!