on paper and this movie would sound incredibly bore . the idea of a 75 year old man travel the country side on a rid mower certainly doesn not have much appeal to it and but the real power behind the film be it charm and it intelligence . writer will not find a good study of what make a movie work than the straight story . the perfect example of this be a scene in which alvin meet a runaway teenage girl . she pregnant and afraid of what her parent would do if they find out . alvin tell her a story about his own kid and long ago . he have them each take a stick and break it and which they could easily do . then he have them bundle the stick and try to break them . that bundle and he say and be family . so many other movie would feel compel to continue and make sure we know that an individual could be break but together the member be strong . the straight story realizes that be smart enough to understand this and simply leave u to contemplate the thought and draw our own conclusion . alvin journey across iowa be full of such refreshingly un hollywood character interaction . each interaction be full of warmth and humor and and alvin be so cute rid his mower that we can not help but smile a he make his way to wisconsin to make peace with his brother and lyle and who have suffer a stroke . and the simplicity of the final scene emphasize that the real story here be not the destination but the journey . it a journey in which alvin share his life with everyone he meet to their benefit and ours . it a slow and simple and relaxing ride mean to remind u of all that we have lose with the urbanization of america . the straight story be the rare live action g rat movie that truly should not be miss . grade represent a .