Did any guy tear up during this film? - The Straight Story (1999) Discussion

[–] DawsonL 18 years ago

Yep

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[–] kelani 18 years ago

Yep. One tear. Equal credit goes to the movie and the score. As someone who has made a cross-country epic journey myself (although not on a John Deere)something about camera shots of endless countryside mixed with good travelin' music always gets to me.

Now, if Alvin had arrived to find his brother had recently died, THAT would have made me whine like a little girl. Thank God that annoyingly tired old plot twist wasn't present in this film.

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[–] johnf152 18 years ago

Sure, because it was mostly good things happening to someone who seemed to deserve them. The highest drama was a wild ride with a broken belt, and the people he met were respectful of his odyssey, and his oddities. wishing to help, but not interfere.
It's easy to get analytical, like, the garden tractor has a top speed of about 8 mph., and if he's driving dawn to dusk, say 8 hours with time out for lunch, etc., that's 64 miles a day. Mapquest says it's 267 miles. 4.2 days. What took so long? But, it boils down to "who cares". The sentiment of the movie, and the desire for him to succeed, overrides any technical goofs that the movie may contain.

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[–] Struckworld7767 10 years ago

It took the real Alivn Straight about 6 weeks to do it.

I'm from Paris... TEXAS

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] rmsw08308 18 years ago

Absolutely, that look on Harry Dean Stantons face when he realises what his brother has went throught to see him. heartbreaking. Offhand, i can only remember crying at The Champ when Jon Voight died.

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[–] happiness_is_easy 18 years ago

I felt reflective during this film rather than refelctive. Maybe it's because I'm a kiwi but two New Zealand films "Once Were Warriors" and "Whale Rider" were an emotional experience for me.

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[–] chris-taniwha 18 years ago

Whale rider - very cool. Once were Warriors - manipulative. It irritated me to see my neighbourhood ghetto-ised.

By Ranarachna is excatly right. Lyle's realisation of his brother's odessy/pilgramage ... travelling old skool. of course, he couldn't have done it any quicker. Straight is a man of action but he needed time to prepare himself mentally.

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[–] ProjectDv2 17 years ago

Yeah, I've seen those as well. Once Were Warriors kinda bent Star Wars Ep. 2 for me, but it was a powerful film in its right, one that had me gritting my teeth frequently. This movie made me choke up a little, too, largely because it WAS a feel-good story, instead of a story of great strife punctuated by a depressing twist, like his brother already being dead or what have you. In a day and age where antiheroes are rewarded and villains prevail, seeing the nice guy finish the race was just too refreshing.

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[–] m_l_edwards34 18 years ago

Wow, this wasn't even close to making me cry. Don't get me wrong i enjoyed the movie but obviously I knew exactly what the ending was going to be and the obvious link between "alvin wanting to look up at the stars with his brother..." and where they actually look up at the stars together, brought me back to reality too much to cry.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] offramp_tavanipupu 18 years ago

I have filled up twice and I haven't even seen the whole film yet! (I have the DVD).

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[–] james_powers 18 years ago

I was very moved by the scene where Alvin meets another WWII vet in a bar
and they shared the painful war stories that they'd been keeping inside for
so many years.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] db8integra 18 years ago

The war time story made me sad. The part with the Olsen Twins was subtle yet so good and made me shed a tear. But after the olsen twins part, when he gets back on the road, the song played throughout the movie "Laurens Walking" when the camera is showing the country side made me cry, that part was just unbelievably well done.

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[–] ykhan66 18 years ago

this movie was sad? I thought it was kind of funny. Wow, where are my emotions?

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[–] nosnojsirhc 18 years ago

I messed my pants in the theater, but that was probably the Chinese take-out... tasted really weird.

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[–] BeatPoet1972 18 years ago

I do, every time I see it.. It's a powerful emotional experience..

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[–] nosnojsirhc 18 years ago

mess your pants?

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[–] BeatPoet1972 18 years ago

No.. Cry, and get a lump in my throat.. Luckily I can keep my *beep* in my arse until I gotta go:)

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[–] nosnojsirhc 18 years ago

You must not have had the Chinese takeout...

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[–] BeatPoet1972 18 years ago

:) I don't think so either..

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[–] nosnojsirhc 18 years ago

by the way, the movie does get to me. i just thought it was weird that a guy felt like he had to asked - almost as if embarrassed - if others had had an emotional reaction. i mean, can't people react with some emotion when they feel it? or do we have to hold it all in and only show a bit when something major happens, like the whole family getting run over by a truck at a tractor pull?

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