David Lynch is certainly one of the most confusing directors of the past three decades, and we're not talking about the context and visual metaphors permeating his films, we're talking about his selection of work alone!  He's at his best when he decides to tell a story in a simple manner, eg. the black and white tale "ELEPHANT MAN" and now  "THE STRAIGHT STORY".   Both are tales about humanity and it's in this arena which Lynch is best suited.  It's when he does the oddities like "DUNE", "ERASERHEAD", etc., that his ability at pure storytelling are in doubt!  

With "THE STRAIGHT STORY", Lynch tells the tale of Alvin Straight, an old, brittle-boned, stubborn man, bent on seeing his ailing brother at any cost!  We find out that earlier on, the two had a feud and neither have spoken since.  Now it's up to Alvin to set things straight.  Because neither he or his daughter, due to her ailment, can drive a car, he chooses to do the next best thing,... drive to Wisconsin from Oregon by way of his John Deere tractor.  It seems and feels like an insurmountable feat, but Alvin's set to do it!  We're with him every step of the way, and at times, the viewer will undoubtedly feel like he should just throw in the towel.  It's a long, arduous journey, and at times, the film feels long too!  But, ultimately it's a rewarding 100 minutes.  In some small way, Alvin's better for taking the trip "and" so is the viewer! 

Lynch's compositions are beautiful here.  There are plenty of opportunities for him to contrast the wide breadth of landscape against the seemingly small man inching his way across the highways, and he does it masterfully with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.  The 16:9 enhancement helps with the resolution, offering strong solid colors for the most point, but contrast is a little erratic.

The dolby digital 5.1 soundtrack is perfectly suited for the material on hand.  Lynch doesn't use sound as a distraction here, or to "amplify" anything!  He just wants it to compliment the action on screen, and that it does.  The directional effects are active yet subdued, not trying to call attention to themselves.  There is a theatrical trailer but no other extras.