The Straight Story

We're continuing our series on the films of David Lynch this week with what is arguably his most unusual entry: THE STRAIGHT STORY. Lynch had built a reputation on bizarre works like Eraserhead and Lost Highway. His films were often filled with graphic sex and violence as in Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, or even Wild at Heart. So, when his gentle, elegant, G-rated Disney film was released, it turned more than a few heads and earned him some of the most broadly universal acclaim of his career.

The Straight Story tells of Alvin Straight, an elderly and ailing man who learns that his brother has suffered a stroke. Unable to drive a car, he determines to set out on a nearly 400-mile journey to visit his brother on a riding lawnmower, embarking upon an episodic journey filled with interesting characters and beautiful landscapes. It is a remarkably spiritual journey of potent wisdom and uncommon grace, offered up with a degree of humanity that perhaps could have only been expressed by the late David Lynch.

We're joined by Andrew Nelson and Matt Murray to discuss the film's finer details as well as debate the wisdom of Alvin Straight's quest and explore just how far we might go in order to put things right. It's a thoughtful, funny, and vulnerable conversation that we really hope you'll enjoy.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts here..

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Other entries in the Lynch series:
Eraserhead 5.6.2025
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me 5.13.2025
Dune 5.20.2025
Blue Velvet 5.27.2025
Lost Highway 6.3.2025
Mulholland Drive 6.10.2025
Fire Chat With Me 6.17.2025