A simple endearing tale of a retired farmer, Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), as he ventures across the Iowa border into Wisconsin on his lawn mower in order to reconcile with his brother who has recently suffered a heart attack.
This is a heartwarming and untypical Lynchian picture that is about human decency and kindness. About the people we meet along the way. About how generosity can trump the horror we usually see in Lynch’s work. One moment that stands out is between Alvin and a young hitchhiker at night around his campfire. If this scene played out in Blue Velvet it would be a scene filled with terror and horror. Yet, here we are met with a sweet scene and a rewarding payoff.
Funnily enough, this realistic world almost feels just as surreal as his other works. One can only hope that the level of kindness portrayed in this film between human-beings still exists somewhere out there. Probably not.
This film could be an hour longer or half an hour shorter and it would still be perfect.
This is a heartwarming and untypical Lynchian picture that is about human decency and kindness. About the people we meet along the way. About how generosity can trump the horror we usually see in Lynch’s work. One moment that stands out is between Alvin and a young hitchhiker at night around his campfire. If this scene played out in Blue Velvet it would be a scene filled with terror and horror. Yet, here we are met with a sweet scene and a rewarding payoff.
Funnily enough, this realistic world almost feels just as surreal as his other works. One can only hope that the level of kindness portrayed in this film between human-beings still exists somewhere out there. Probably not.
This film could be an hour longer or half an hour shorter and it would still be perfect.
