Paris, Texas (1984)

Written by Axel on June 12, 2025

I discovered Paris, Texas through Letterboxd's Top 250 Films with Most Fans, having never heard of it before. The 8.1 IMDB rating caught my attention, so I decided to give this acclaimed film a shot.

What Worked

The film starts genuinely intriguing. Travis's complete silence in the opening act was captivating - Harry Dean Stanton delivers a convincing portrayal of someone emotionally hollowed out by four years of isolation. His emotionless face perfectly captures that shell-shocked quality. I was particularly drawn to the early domestic scenes, like when Travis starts polishing boots at his brother's house, and there were hints of tension when Walt's wife seemed a bit too flirty with him. I thought something compelling might materialize from that dynamic.

The cinematography deserves praise - watching those American Southwest landscapes in Blu-ray quality was genuinely beautiful. The visuals really pop, and Ry Cooder's guitar score effectively establishes that southwestern mood with its twangy, atmospheric sound.

Where It Lost Me

The momentum completely died when Travis tried to pick up Hunter from school. Up until that point, I was invested in the mystery: what happened during those four missing years? Unfortunately, the film abandons this intriguing setup in favor of a more conventional family reunion story that felt pedestrian.

The famous peep show booth scene between Travis and Jane left me cold. While Jane showed some emotional range as the conversation progressed, Travis remained frustratingly robotic - it felt like he was reading from a script rather than having a genuine emotional breakthrough. The scene dragged without delivering the psychological depth it clearly aimed for. It's nowhere near the caliber of something like the psychologist scenes in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Final Verdict

Paris, Texas suffers from prioritizing mood and atmosphere over compelling storytelling. While I typically don't mind slower-paced films, this one felt too empty, too "nothing happening for 2.5 hours." The runtime could definitely be trimmed, though I understand some scenes were meant to develop character relationships.

If I could change one thing, I'd focus more on the mystery of Travis's disappearance rather than his quest to reunite his fractured family. The beginning promised something more psychologically complex than what we ultimately got.

The film might resonate with viewers from another era or those who prefer European art cinema's contemplative approach, but for modern audiences seeking more substantial plotting, it's hard to recommend. A solid 6/10 - not bad, but certainly not deserving of its lofty reputation.