Paris, Texas (1984)

Director: Wim Wenders
Stars: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell
Runtime: 145 minutes

Synopsis: Travis Henderson, an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years, wanders out of the desert and must reconnect with society, himself, his life, and his family.

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 9/10
Editing: 8/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10

Verdict: Paris, Texas. The pause in the middle is almost a word of itself that, when hinted at, completely changes the meaning of the phrase. Without it, anyone's mind immediately travels to the French capital, but, with it, questions begin to arise. For a split second, you're left in a state of confusion, asking yourself why that dramatic halt is there, and that's pretty much what experiencing Wim Wenders' iconic film feels like.

That sense of mystery is set up from the very first scene in which we see a man wandering in a state of shock in the Texan desert. He's dirty, tired, thirsty, and wearing a suit accompanied by a red baseball cap. We know nothing about him, and the first act, which sees his brother traveling from Los Angeles to Texas to retrieve him, barely reveals anything about who the enigmatic drifter. We know that his name is Travis, that he's been lost for four years, that his wife Jane is also nowhere to be found, and that his now 7-year-old son Hunter has been raised by his uncle and aunt during all this time, believing that they were his real parents. Paris is exclaimed, but the pause is hinted at, leaving the audience with many unanswered queries about Travis' past. Without revealing much about the narrative, I'll say that it very much follows a 3-act structure (Paris, pause, Texas) in which the character of Travis, brilliantly portrayed by Harry Dean Stanton, is explored. I loved the subtlety in which new information is revealed without coming off as a punchline, as well as the growth that our protagonist goes through, leading to a heart-wrenching final act that contains what I now consider to be one of my favorite conversations ever presented on the big screen. The western mood captured by the film's soundtrack worked like a charm with its gorgeous cinematography. Technically speaking, Wim Wenders truly outdid himself.

However, there were some minor decisions in the script that didn't entirely work for me, and the movie does tend to drag a little in some places, but I'd say that the biggest distraction I experienced during the film came from the performances of some of its cast, notably those of the actors playing Travis' son and sister-in-law.

Despite those hiccups, I'd still very much recommend "Paris, Texas" to all cinema-lovers out there. I'm not sure if I'll ever be tempted to revisit the entirety of the movie, but I'll be coming back to experience the final 40 minutes or so over and over again.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10