Review of Paris, Texas (1984) by Jim H — 13 Dec 2010
The film opens with a man walking in worn-out shoes across the desert, and that image perfectly describes my feelings about the film as a whole. It is a long, perambulating film that tries to be understated but ends up as a let-down that even Sam Shepherd's beautiful writing, Harry Dean Stanton's fine acting, and Nastassja Kinski's gorgeous face (she's the prettiest crier since Ingrid Bergman) can't save. Much of act one does little to set up the film's primary conflict, which doesn't really reveal itself until midway through act two, which is too long to wait to understand to what dramatic question we should attach ourselves. And even the reason why Stanton's character finds direction on his journey is ironically too quickly developed and resolved. I found myself thinking that even a seven-year-old in all his seven-year-old naivete wouldn't forgive that easily.
Overall, I think the film should have started about forty minutes into the story, and it would have achieved the same effect.
This review of Paris, Texas (1984) was written by Jim H on 13 Dec 2010.
Paris, Texas has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
