Review of Paris, Texas (1984) by Al M — 29 Jan 2012

Wim Winders' low-key tale about a man who has left his family and gone wandering in the desert, Paris, Texas is an absolute masterpiece of widescreen composition. Featuring unforgettable performances from Harry Dean Stanton, Dean Stockwell, and Nastassja Kinski, Paris, Texas is a film about disillusionment, existential anxiety, and the failure of interpersonal communication. But it is also a powerful film about the journey back from despair to functionality. Wenders fills the screen with absolutely perfect and beautiful images. Every frame reveals a perfectly composed shot that juxtaposes humankind and its seemingly soul-crushing problems with the immensity of the environment in which we dwell.

The film opens with Stanton's character meandering through the Texas desert in a state of mute detachment. His brother finally finds him and takes him on a journey to reconnect with his wife and the son that has been raised by his brother and sister-in-law. Poignant, compelling, and psychological, Paris, Texas plumbs the depths of darkness that can seep into any human relationship. Filled mostly with dialogue and image, Wenders' classic never moves quickly but instead forces us to consider the existential questions that underlie even the most seconds of everyday life.