Paris, Texas

A Texas desert, a grimy man, a small hospital, and the single concept. What happened?  Above all else this film is one of human shortcomings. Although we begin as a simple mystery road trip between brothers, Paris, Texas is so so much more. Made in the 1980s a time not far from the 60s Paris, Texas tells us about the American dream. Or more its shortcomings. Through its cinematic excellence within music and the films shots its with no doubt the first 40 minutes of the film is very much American, from back to front. And as we progress we very much find ourselves seeing this American film devolve into something more critical within its bounds as itself an American piece of cinema. The family ideals of the nuclear family of the breadwinning father are twisted and devolved. Travis despite how he tries to dress, to act, or to simply be. He will never be the American father, he himself is a human shortcoming, Travis is our representation of generational abuse. Travis is a man of an older generation, one alien to us but all to familiar to old America. A generation stricken by their parents, held to cultural ideals. One that goes on to neglect and abandon. The exact acts of travis.  So why is this significant to human shortcomings?  Simply this film is a film about many things, but it is truly a human film. A failing family, a struggling man, a toxic and broken relationship. Paris, Texas is a American distortion, it is not what the 60s promised to Americans, it is a story of a failing family. One so immersed in shortcoming, the very shortcomings that motif the films modern America. So truly the genius of Paris, Texas isn’t simply its incredible visuals, or its incredible soundtrack or even its near perfect overall quality. Paris, Texas isn’t to me a genius in its criticism or its filmmaking quality. Paris, Texas to me is genius because it is a film so personal, but yet one so representative. Representative of not just the struggles of one isolated place or people but instead one of global struggle. The struggle of parenthood, the struggle of being human.  Is Paris, Texas an empty lot?  Or a dream of something more?  A dream of family.  One falsely promised.  Generations prior.  5/5