Paris, Texas

Paris, Texas may be the finest of Wim Wenders' "road movies," a deliberately paced but deeply moving story of a man at the end of his emotional rope who is given an unexpected chance to heal both his scars and those he has inflicted on others. Harry Dean Stanton gives perhaps his finest performance -- few actors could pull off a scene like the long monologue he shares with Kinski near the film's conclusion -- and he is ably supported by Stockwell and by the young Carson, son of L.M. Kit Carson, who adapted the screenplay from Sam Shepard's Motel Chronicles. Robby Müller's photography and Ry Cooder's score add immeasurably to the impact of this superlative mood piece. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Paris, Texas continues the examination of the mythic images of America by German-born director Wim Wenders, who seamlessly evidences his command of cross-cultural motifs. Wenders brings together such diverse talents as cinematographer Robby Müller and composer Ry Cooder to form a distinctive variant on the "road movie" genre. Adapting the stories of Sam Shepard, Paris, Texas provides a rich showcase for such actors as Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassia Kinski, and Dean Stockwell. As with many Wenders films, it lags a bit, but it was a popular favorite of critics, and received numerous international awards, including the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. ~ Richard Gilliam, All Movie Guide