Movie "Monday": Paris, Texas

Movie “Monday”: Paris, Texas

 

Sometimes, a film doesn’t need to be about more than its characters to tell a story and send a message to its audience. The strength of a film that utilizes the subtle characterization of its leading cast is that it is able to develop them in such a way that the story flows well and keeps an audience engaged, no matter the speed of the story or what transpires. A film that manages to capture this with near perfection is the 1984 film Paris, Texas. A slow-moving road movie directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, the film stars Harry Dean Stanton as Travis Henderson, a man who loses consciousness in a building and is taken in by a German doctor. Very soon, it becomes clear that Travis’ situation is not all it seems: Upon the arrival of his brother, Walt, it is revealed Travis has been missing for four years and, in that time, Walt has been taking care of his son, Hunter. As Walt does his best to try and accommodate for Travis’ return to the real world, Travis tries to reconnect with his son while also discovering the whereabouts of his also-missing wife.

 

Right away, it’s clear that this film isn’t going to be for everyone. There are no fast-paced sequences, there is no antagonist, and the pacing is not as fast as that of many films nowadays. The film is methodic with how it presents itself—hence the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Its presentation as a slow burn wherein the audience is drip-fed information through character interactions and dialogue is a choice that makes sense for the kind of self-continued story being told here. While the film starts with the mystery of where Travis had been for four years, much of the time this question takes a backseat to the audience watching Travis learn to navigate the world again. His son is now double the age he was when Travis left, and is now calling Travis’ brother Walt “dad.” His wife is gone as well, her whereabouts a mystery to even Travis himself. The only thing Travis has to his name now is a patch of land out in Texas, but even then, he is unable to remember why he purchased it. His only goal now is to attempt to rebuild a broken family, even if it means starting over from scratch.

 

Travis himself acts as the anchor for the story. From the outset he is clearly altered from his four-year excursion, refusing to speak for the first half hour or so of the film. When he does speak, it becomes clear from both the way he forms his sentences and the tone of his voice just how long it’s been since he’s talked with people. There is a shyness to him, but also a touch of eccentricity, as his later behavior shows. His development over the course of the film acts as a fascinating way to bolster an otherwise basic story. The same goes for the script and acting, both weaving in such a way that much of the dialogue and character decisions feels less like one is watching a film, and more so a documentation of a real-life scenario (albeit with obvious dramatic moments). The cinematography helps to accentuate the film as a whole, too. Shots are not only well-executed and creative, but have a fine-tuned graininess to their presentation that once again emphasizes reality over fiction.

 

At the same time, however, there is something striking about the production of the film itself. While the film features English-speaking actors and was shot in the United States, the film was a co-production between France and West Germany. This gives some later sequences in the film that I won’t spoil here a sort of dream-like feeling, in the sense that it seems like an idealized version of an aspect of American culture presented from an outsider looking in. While subtle in the way this foreign influence captures a unique perspective on American life, it also is indicative of the wide-reaching way in which the story of a man putting his family back together again can be understood from a non-American lens. Quite frankly because that’s the lens through which the story is being told. And it is, in my opinion, all the better for it.

 

A sharp film with a great cast, well-written script, captivating cinematography, and clear influence from its production team, Paris, Texas is a slow film playing on the idea of what family truly means. If you have the time and the patience, I would highly recommend this film because of its artistic merit and overall interesting appearance. A memorable movie with intriguing themes and a dynamic presentation.