Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

94% 53 Reviews Tomatometer 93% 10,000+ Ratings Audience Score A disheveled man who wanders out of the desert, Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) seems to have no idea who he is. When a stranger manages to contact his brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), Travis is awkwardly reunited with his sibling. Travis has been missing for years, and his presence unsettles Walt and his family, which also includes Travis's own son, Hunter (Hunter Carson). Soon Travis must confront his wife, Jane (Nastassja Kinski), and try to put his life back together. Read More Read Less

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Paris, Texas

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Paris, Texas

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A quiet yet deeply moving kind of Western, Paris, Texas captures a place and people like never before (or after).

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Audience Reviews

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Jack G Its strongest element was the cinematography. It's great. The dialogue was good. The acting was overrated. I find the film is overall overrated. It begged to be an hour shorter. The twangy score was nice on the ears but did not fit the deeply tragic mood of this film. The film left too many questions unanswered or with unsatisfying ones. There seemed to be a little too much emphasis on style over substance so we're left with little dialogue leaving plot holes unfilled. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/15/24 Full Review Rich C Paris, Texas draws you in slowly but completely. A master class of story telling by Sam Shepard and LM Kit Carson, containing one of the great monologues in movie history, allowed Wim Wenders to show a simple story in an extraordinary way. The characters are mysterious but not overly complicated, and you can feel the pain and loss in your gut as they wander through their individual anger and emptiness to an ending which is satisfying and yet disappointing at the same time. You find yourself, as I did when I saw it for the first time, talking to the screen and imploring the characters under your breath to come to the same conclusions about what they should do as you have....in vain as it turns out.The performances by Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski are absolutely mesmerizing and are backed by stellar performances by Dean Stockwell, Aurore Cement, and Hunter Carson, while haunting soundtrack by Ry Cooder only adds to the vastness of the picture.It's brilliance can not be over-stated. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/10/24 Full Review Hao Ian L For its runtime, you would expect the characters to be more fleshed out with motives more clear cut. Wenders' melancholic meditation on memory and loss boasts breathtaking cinematography, but suffers from a glacial pace an enigmatic lead whose journey feels emotionally hollow. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/16/24 Full Review The D I'm not usually into slow, introspectional movies but Paris,Texas is exceptional. Beautifully shot and fantastic acting all round. I think it resonated with me because my own father - who is very much like Harry Dean Stanton - was not present in my early years. The bond by between Hunter and his father begins to grow throughout the movie in a wonderful authentic way, and the whole story touches on so many human emotions like love, regret, lost opportunities and the heart wrench of being away from a past love and his own son. I cry every time I watch this classic. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/14/24 Full Review Blob 9 The impact this film has doesn't dawn on you until the end. The experience is dream like at times, as you soak in the environment from country to city, uncertain in where this odyssey leads. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/18/24 Full Review Allen R A slow burn that becomes more and more worth it as the movie reaches the end. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/24 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

Cast & Crew

Wim Wenders Director Harry Dean Stanton Travis Nastassja Kinski Jane Dean Stockwell Walt Aurore Clément Anne Henderson Hunter Carson Hunter
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Critics Reviews

View All (53) Critics Reviews
Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Kevin Maher Times (UK) The panoramic vistas from the cinematographer Robby Müller are as breathtaking as any John Ford western, while the naturalistic performances and deft narrative structure make this the strongest movie in the career of its director, Wim Wenders. Sep 14, 2023 Full Review Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Peter Bradshaw Guardian ... An eerie, sad story whose meaning disappears over the vast horizon as if on a highway heading away through the desert. Rated: 5/5 Jul 27, 2022 Full Review Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Joe Pollack St. Louis Post-Dispatch It's a striking, gripping film for most of its length, with Wenders and cinematographer Robby Muller showing a great love of and fascination for the land -- almost as if their European upbringings had made them slightly envious of the wide-open spaces. Oct 7, 2021 Full Review Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review It transcends [Wenders'] usual road movie archetypes and pressing alienation, and it enters the realm of an almost mythic quest for healing and reconciliation after the emotional fallout of masculine violence. Rated: 4/4 Aug 31, 2023 Full Review Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies Most of the performances hit every right note especially Stanton, Kinski, and young Carson. All of this is brought together under the management of Wenders who tells a living, breathing story free of contrivances and artifice. Rated: 4/5 Aug 24, 2022 Full Review Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant A rare and fascinating experience for those patient enough to go with its slow flow. Oct 7, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Movie Info

Synopsis A disheveled man who wanders out of the desert, Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) seems to have no idea who he is. When a stranger manages to contact his brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), Travis is awkwardly reunited with his sibling. Travis has been missing for years, and his presence unsettles Walt and his family, which also includes Travis's own son, Hunter (Hunter Carson). Soon Travis must confront his wife, Jane (Nastassja Kinski), and try to put his life back together.

Director
Wim Wenders

Executive Producer
Chris Sievernich

Screenwriter
L.M. Kit Carson, Sam Shepard

Distributor
20th Century Fox

Production Co
20th Century Fox

Rating
R

Genre
Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 18, 1984, Original

Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Most Popular at Home Now
Paris, Texas | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Why is Paris, Texas so good? ›

Paris, Texas draws you in slowly but completely. A master class of story telling by Sam Shepard and LM Kit Carson, containing one of the great monologues in movie history, allowed Wim Wenders to show a simple story in an extraordinary way.

What is so special about Paris, Texas? ›

In Downtown Paris TX, explore wonderful antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and a theater with live performances amid unique WWI-era architecture dating back to 1916-1918, all surrounding the famous Culbertson Italian Marble Fountain.

What happened in the end of Paris, Texas? ›

He tells Jane that Hunter is in a hotel room waiting for her and that he would like her to go there to be reunited with him for good. Jane agrees and Travis leaves the room. The final scene follows as the viewer watches Jane enter the hotel room where Hunter is waiting and embrace her child.

What is Paris, Texas rated? ›

What is the racial makeup of Paris Texas? ›

Population & Diversity

In 2021, there were 2.49 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (14.8k people) in Paris, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.94k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.72k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

What is the crime rate in Paris, Texas? ›

With a crime rate of 34 per one thousand residents, Paris has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 29.

Is Paris, Texas a nice place to live? ›

Housing costs, as well as the overall cost of living, are significantly lower than in many major cities, making it an ideal destination for those seeking financial stability without sacrificing quality of life. Paris, Texas, is renowned for its warm and friendly community.

What is the poverty rate in Paris, Texas? ›

The average household income in Paris is $55,302 with a poverty rate of 22.01%. The median age in Paris is 36 years: 33.3 years for males, and 37.7 years for females.

Why is it called Paris, Texas? ›

Paris, city, seat (1844) of Lamar county, northeastern Texas, U.S., on a ridge between the Red and Sulphur rivers, some 105 miles (170 km) northeast of Dallas. Laid out in 1845 and named for Paris, France, it developed after the arrival of the railroad in 1876. The city was replanned after a disastrous fire in 1916.

What movie is set in Paris, Texas? ›

Paris, Texas is a 1984 neo-Western drama road film directed by Wim Wenders, co-written by Sam Shepard and L. M. Kit Carson, and produced by Don Guest. It stars Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell, Aurore Clément, and Hunter Carson.

Is Paris, Texas worth visiting? ›

Paris TX has a fascinating history that is quite inspiring, so a historic tour is absolutely worth it. After the 1916 fire destroyed most of the city, there were a few surviving buildings that are still standing today.

How old was Harry Dean Stanton in Paris, Texas? ›

He was, of course, the unforgettably gaunt and haunted Harry Dean Stanton, who at 58 years old, and after a lifetime of self-effacing supporting roles, suddenly leapfrogged mere star status to become an icon.

Who is the singer of Paris, Texas? ›

Paris Texas is an American alternative hip hop duo founded in Los Angeles, California in 2018. It was formed by rapper-producers Louie Pastel and Felix. The duo's name is a reference to the 1984 road movie Paris, Texas.

What is the cost of living in Paris, Texas? ›

The cost of living in Paris, Texas, stands below the national average in several categories, including housing, groceries, and transportation. The national average and the total cost of living averages at 13.6% below the national average. Our housing cost is 39.5% lower than the national average.

Is Paris, Texas a masterpiece? ›

Paris, Texas is a masterpiece. There's no way around it. It's a movie that slowly reveals itself putting the audience right in the shoes of Stanton, who also is trying to remember his past and face it. The story was penned by playwright and actor Sam Shepard, though he doesn't appear in the film.

Is Paris, Texas a good place to live? ›

Housing costs, as well as the overall cost of living, are significantly lower than in many major cities, making it an ideal destination for those seeking financial stability without sacrificing quality of life. Paris, Texas, is renowned for its warm and friendly community.

What is the air quality in Paris, Texas? ›

Fair

The air quality is generally acceptable for most individuals.

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