david lynch ( 1999 ) film of john roach or mary sweeney story be set in iowa and wisconsin some time well before the film eventual release . we come into the life of alvin straight ( richard farnsworth ) late on in life . his medical condition be poor and his life be mostly behind him and he know it . this make what he decide to do and even more remarkable and endear . he decide ( and at every point in the film his own name reverberate through his action ) to put a few thing straight . alvin be and by this time in his life and a man of great experience but modest mean . his daughter rise ( sissy spacek ) struggle with a speech impediment that make communication a great effort on the audience behalf . but it worth it and because rise story can not help but come out a the film progress . this film be the story of a journey . but like all journey it be a journey in the geographical sense and in the human sense . early on in the film and we begin to understand that this be an ambitious journey and which no elderly gentleman of alvin age should reasonably undertake . but along the way and we slowly learn how alvin have so many qualification which equip him to achieve his unlikely objective . his objective be very simple and straightforward . his brother be ill and likely to die and he want to visit him . he have have a fall out with him many year ago and they have not speak in a very long time . along the way and alvin meet many people . the way he behave towards them and the benefit they get from have know him be the essence of this film . we come to know who alvin straight be and from what alvin straight do . and at the end of the film and we know who we be . well .