Little-known ‘masterpiece’ from legendary director airing on Film4 tonight | Films | Entertainment

A heartwarming film by a renowned actor is capturing hearts and is now being shown on Film 4.

The Straight Story, which hit the screens in 1991, tells the tale of Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), a retired farmer and widower in his 70s.

Upon learning that his estranged brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton) has suffered a stroke and may not recover, Alvin resolves to reconcile with Lyle while he still can.

However, Alvin lives in Iowa without a car or driving licence, while Lyle lives in Wisconsin. Undeterred, Alvin decides to embark on the epic journey using his old lawnmower.

The film stars Richard Farnsworth, whose performance earned him an Oscar nomination. The movie was shot chronologically along the actual 240-mile route and was initially released by Disney as a feel-good film.

It’s also one of the lesser-known projects of the late esteemed director David Lynch, who passed away in 2025. Lynch’s illustrious career includes films such as Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Inland Empire, as well as the critically acclaimed dramas The Elephant Man, Dune and the TV series Twin Peaks, reports <a href=”https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/legendary-directors-best-ever-film-36542779″ rel=”Follow” target=”_self”>the Mirror</a>.

One viewer said: “A masterpiece about family, the ordinary, and perseverance. A tender David Lynch, an inspiring Richard. Farnsworth and another fabulous score by Angelo Badalamenti.”

Another added: “Such a quiet, gentle, and hypnotic road trip movie with a subtle emotional heaviness that slowly creeps up on you. This is David Lynch’s only Disney movie, which is such a bizarre pairing that oddly works. The movie is one long slow road trip following an old man riding his lawn mower to visit family.

“It’s a slow-paced, but very unique movie watching experience. I liked the disability representation with Alvin’s daughter Rosie. How she’s a responsible and caring person and the movie doesn’t draw much attention to her status. The soundtrack is soft folksy music, and gorgeous. It’s a deliberately slow and methodical movie that shows every step of the way along old Alvin’s journey to see his brother.

“The saddest scene dives into Alvin’s WWII backstory dealing with PTSD and alcoholism. The film ends with a short, but sweet reunion of the two brothers that validates Alvin’s long boring odyssey. It’s a beautifully simple movie about old age and human connection and one that sticks with you.”

Another fan said: “One of my alltime favourite films for so many reasons that I won’t explain and leave the viewer to experience.”

Another viewer wrote: “Very nice film. The very first scene is really slow, but don’t worry, the rest of the film is not like that. Great film if you want to unwind and just not think about anything negative.”

A further review read: “The Straight Story is a beautifully crafted film, filled with wonderful characters who eloquently reveal Lynch’s inner feelings of love and compassion for humanity. It’s also one of the best films David Lynch made. Highly Recommended.”

The Straight Story airs on Thursday January 15 on Film 4 at 11.20pm.