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Straight Story

To me, it seems as though Straight Story is a space for realization, revelation, and actualization through the fact that the film relies more on discussion and dialogue, or the lack thereof, rather than on action. Unlike the other, non-rural films that we've seen so far, the impacts that the protagonist, Alvin, has on other characters, as well as the interactions between these characters, are very low-key compared to those of other films we've seen. There is little physical action or large events that take place that propel the plot forward; here instead, the plot's momentum is dependent on conversations and spoken, calm exchanges between characters (the evening by the campfire with the pregnant teenager, the encounter with the Bambi-slayer, the stay with the couple after Alvin careens down the hill). This is most evident at the film's end in the very quiet, emotional reconnection that Alvin has with his brother.

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