America was astonished when they heard the story of Alvin Straight on the national news. No one could believe that a 73-year-old man could have ridden a lawnmower for six weeks to make peace with his brother, Lyle, but Alvin Straight did it all by himself.

When viewers meet Alvin, he is just enjoying his life, but he realizes after he receives a call that his brother has had a stroke and that he must make peace before it is too late. Since he can't drive a car, he decides that he will drive his lawnmower to Wisconsin to see his brother. Although he experiences a couple of setbacks, his stubbornness and persistence keep him going.

Throughout Alvin's journey, he meets a variety of people and helps each one with his simple, honest advice. Alvin makes a lasting impact on this people while experiencing life on the road...