Paris, Texas
A vanished father crosses the American Southwest to reclaim a place in his son's life and confront the wreckage of his marriage.
Overview
A haunting journey of redemption and familial bonds unfolds in the vast Texas landscape.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- wistful
- intimate
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a visually extraordinary, deeply moving, experimentally inclined family drama and a landmark of European-inflected American cinema.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Travis's desert wandering and the expansive Texas and California vistas mirror his fractured inner life.
Travis must rebuild trust with Hunter while confronting his failed relationship with Jane.
The reunion journey is driven by Travis's regret, silence, and attempt to make amends.
Wim Wenders's German perspective renders Texas, Los Angeles, highways, and motels as both familiar and dreamlike.
Films like Paris, Texas, and why
Paris, Texas
shared road movie structure, alienated protagonists, American landscapes, and melancholic search for redemption
Five Easy Pieces
shared intimate character study, emotional estrangement, family rupture, and understated American road drama
Easy Rider
shared drifting outsider protagonist, road movie atmosphere, and alienated portrait of the United States
The Last Picture Show
shared neo-western mood, damaged characters, bleak landscapes, and gradual emotional revelation
Wings of Desire
shared European-inflected American road cinema, loneliness, and fractured identity
Movie Details
- Director
- Wim Wenders
- Release Date
- 1984-07-16
- Runtime
- 145 min
- Rating
- 8.1 / 10 (2330)
Cast
- Harry Dean Stanton
- Nastassja Kinski
- Dean Stockwell
- Hunter Carson
- Aurore Clément
- Bernhard Wicki
- Sam Berry
- Claresie Mobley
- Viva
- Socorro Valdez
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Paris, Texas about?
- A vanished father crosses the American Southwest to reclaim a place in his son's life and confront the wreckage of his marriage.
- What is Paris, Texas like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Paris, Texas as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Paris, Texas violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Paris, Texas.
- What did critics think of Paris, Texas?
- Critics broadly regard it as a visually extraordinary, deeply moving, experimentally inclined family drama and a landmark of European-inflected American cinema.
- Which films are like Paris, Texas?
- Films with a similar feel include Paris, Texas, Five Easy Pieces, Easy Rider, The Last Picture Show, and Wings of Desire.
- How long is Paris, Texas?
- Paris, Texas runs 145 minutes.
- Where can I watch Paris, Texas?
- In United States, Paris, Texas streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel.
