| Overall Grade: |
A- |
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| Story: |
A- |
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| Acting: |
A- |
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| Direction: |
A |
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| Visuals: |
A |
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An Excellent Movie of Development on all Levels
by Tones (movies profile)
Feb 20, 2006
Paris, Texas is a real place. Supposedly, the main character, Travis, claims his old father once said he was conceived in Paris, Texas, some tiny dusty ghost of a town blistering in the dry heat of the Mojave somewhere in the center of Texas. Hardly the Paris we'd all first assume.
We find Travis lost, depressed, mute and alone in the center of a hot summer Texan drylands in the Mojave Desert.
Like an egg cooking, we are slowly introduced into this shy and sad character's life. A doctor finds him with only a single clue, a business card in his pocket who happens to be his brother in Los Angeles.
From here, the story develops as we see how his brother took care of his son and then we are introduced into his brother's household where we meet his son Sullivan who vaguely remembers his biological father, Travis and refers to his uncle and aunt as "mom and dad."
The movie slow unpeels his life like a gentle emotional striptease of nostalgic melancholy, until nearly 1 hour and 50 minutes into the film, we finally discover who Travis's lover and who Sullivan's true biological mother is.
It's a slowly developing movie that is patient and true to the nature of our protaganist who has gone 4 years without talking and who has changed as a result of the path in life he's taken.
Wim Wenders, director of "Wings of Desire" has his signature cinematographic touches but introduces us to new characters in an intriguing manner.
The late introduction of Natash Kinski's character was beautifully done as we develop a picture of her and finally are introduced to her mystically in a red car through the streets of Houston, Texas.
Her acting is convincing, and beautifully written. The night colors are remarkable. The landscapes invinceable. There is also an intriguing interpretation of America from a German Director. Sometimes the director mannerisms and dialogues are too European and unAmerican. But all and all, I love this movie as I appreciate most Wim Wenders movies.
My favorite scene was easily the scene with Sullivan and Travis chasing mom on the freeways of Houston. It was an exciting, romantically poignant creation of a cinematographic idea.
The soliloquy at the end by Travis was oscar award winning. |
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