Review of Paris, Texas (1984) by Enrique M — 21 Nov 2009

Paris, Texas is one of the finest films ever made. It isn't the performances, the cinematography, the music, story, or direction that make it great. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and it's all of these elements together that serve to deliver complex and challenging ideas (the plight of the American family, fleeting passion, necessary sacrifice) and arouse feelings (often sad or melancholy) that stay with us long after the credits roll.

I'd be very surprised if anyone out there didn't at one point in his/her life identify with Travis (Harry Dean Stanton), Jane (Nastassja Kinski), or Hunter (Hunter Carson). There's a confusion that comes with life experiences, one that forces us to analyze and evaluate ourselves and our relationships with others. It's hard to explain where that confusion comes from, and nearly impossible to resolve the questions it brings up. This film manages to articulate the feeling of helplessness that comes with that futility and the acceptance necessary to put those feelings to rest.