Straight Story
In "The Straight Story" the road acts as a space for realization, revelation, and actualization in many ways that we have not seen before. The first and most obvious difference is how slow the movie moves. The movie is very long and slow moving with few fasted paced scenes. The fact that Alvin is riding a lawn mower emphasizes this concept of "slow motion". In many of the other road films, we have seen loud, busy, and speeding vehicles racing to reach their location. Alvin on his riding lawn mower doesn't have the option to go fast, except on the down hill with the use of the natural terrain. Another difference is that Alvin is exposed to the air, atmosphere, and the world around him. Unlike the other films he is not surrounded by safety of his car, van, or bus. The weather becomes the enemy it is the only thing that seems t be against him for the bulk of the film. Alvin is a minor detail in the rural terrain of the county. He is on his small, slow moving vehicle being passed by huge open fields, large semis, a large group of bikers, and the long endless road. Along the way Alvin is greeted by people who are willing to help, they are comforting and eager to help Alvin in any way that he wants. He connects with the people that he meets along the way and forms decent relationships, each showing him new things about himself. Alvin doesn't let the small stuff bring him down, he continues on hsi journey even when things are tough.