As we prepare for the return of Prince Akeem in Coming 2 America, we present our guide to comic legend Eddie Murphy's essential films.
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Title: The Straight Story (1999)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Sissy Spacek | ... | Rose | |
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Jane Galloway Heitz | ... | Dorothy |
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Joseph A. Carpenter | ... | Bud |
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Donald Wiegert | ... | Sig |
| Richard Farnsworth | ... | Alvin | |
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Tracey Maloney | ... | Nurse |
| Dan Flannery | ... | Doctor Gibbons | |
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Jennifer Edwards-Hughes | ... | Brenda |
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Ed Grennan | ... | Pete |
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Jack Walsh | ... | Apple |
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Max the Wonder Dog | ... | Farm Dog |
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Gil Pearson | ... | Bus Driver |
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Barbara June Patterson | ... | Woman on Bus |
| Everett McGill | ... | Tom the John Deere Dealer | |
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Anastasia Webb | ... | Crystal |
Seventy-three year old Alvin Straight is a simple living and stubborn man who lives on his social security. He needs to do things on his own terms. He is in failing health. Both his hips are shot, which requires him to use two canes to walk. He is diabetic. He has emphysema from years of smoking. And he has poor eyesight. Beyond the obvious maladies, he doesn't tell his mentally disabled daughter Rose, who lives with him, of many of these issues. He learns that his brother Lyle Straight, from who he has been estranged for ten years, has just suffered a heart attack. Because of both his and Lyle's mortality, Alvin wants to make peace with his brother before it's too late, which means traveling from his home in the rural town of Laurens, Iowa to Lyle's home in rural Mount Zion, Wisconsin. As with other issues in his life, he needs to make the trip on his own terms, which means on his own. As he doesn't possess a driver's license and since his eyesight is bad, he decides to make the trip... Written by Huggo
73-year-old Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) from Laurens, Iowa takes a tumble. His challenged daughter Rose (Sissy Spacek) is concerned. He won't let his doctor do tests. Then he receives word that his estrange brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton) had a stroke. He is determined to go see his brother in Wisconsin. He can't drive and there's no bus. So he decides to modify his lawn mower for the long trip.
This is an interesting little indie. There are a lot of tiny oddities in this. First this is directed by David Lynch without any of his usual surreal touches. He is really gentle here letting Farnsworth do his acting. There are some quirky touches here and there. He puts in some beautiful music. Spacek makes an interesting choice with her stutter. She has a funny moment in the beginning. Alvin is an old self-reliant guy. He's charming in his old school ways. The story is funny and bitter sweet.