“Paris, Texas” by Wim Wenders: where to even begin with this overrated piece of muck? If you’ve been craving a movie experience that feels longer than actually walking through Texas, congrats – you’ve hit the jackpot.
Our leading man, Travis, starts off wandering the desert, and honestly, by the end, you’ll wish you were lost out there too, far from any screen showing this film. Travis loses his voice (or maybe he’s just tired of the plot?), and we’re stuck trying to figure out what’s up with this dude. LOL, spoiler alert: the big reveal is as disappointing as you’d expect.
Now, don’t even get me started on the whole Walt and Travis road trip sequence. If you ever wanted to capture the essence of two bros taking a dull drive, this would be it. And when Travis spills the beans about a property in Paris, Texas, you’d think things would pick up. But nah, it’s like a bad dad joke that drags on and on.
The cinematography tries to save the day with those wide shots of Texas, but honestly, it just adds to the whole “Where is this going?” vibe. I mean, if I wanted endless visuals of dusty roads, I’d get lost on a road trip with my GPS off. And, to be honest, the whole Paris, Texas reveal? Total letdown. With a name drop like that, you’d expect some epic twist or at least something somewhat interesting. But all we get is more melodrama sandwiched between endless stretches of… well, nothingness. Talk about missed opportunities, am I right?
Then there’s Hunter, the kiddo who’s been stuck in the middle of this family drama. Sure, they try to sprinkle some feel-good father-son bonding in there, but it’s just major cringe. And the whole attempt to find Jane? Why are we expected to care about this character we know so little about? It really doesn’t help that what we do know makes her seem extremely unlikable.
Now let’s move onto the highly regarded peep show scene, which could’ve been a pivotal moment, but instead, it turns into a drawn-out affair of more vague and dull storytelling. I mean, come on! If you’re gonna drag us through this emotional maze, at least give us something entertaining at the end. Instead, it’s like we’re chasing the ghost of a plot that never was.
And speaking of ghosts, what’s with the ending? We get a long, drawn-out journey, and then Travis just dips without any real resolution. It’s like getting hyped for a finale of a fireworks show and then watching a single sparkler slowly fizzle out into nothingness. Mr. Wenders, if you’re going to make us ride this emotional rollercoaster, the least you could do is give us a satisfying drop. Instead, we’re left hanging on a broken track, wondering why we even got on in the first place.
I will say that some of the cinematography is stunning, but if I just wanted to view something beautiful I could go to my local art museum or take a look in my mirror.
In conclusion, if you’ve got a ton of time to kill and nothing else at all to watch, “Paris, Texas” might be worth a try. But for those of us who like our movies with a smidge of pizzazz and a plot that doesn’t feel like watching paint dry, ignore this one and find something else to watch.
