Paris
Paris
| 06 June 2003 (USA)
Paris Trailers

Paris follows rookie detective Jason Bartok on his disturbing journey through the shadowy underworld of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, illuminated only by a sweet but short-lived romance with a strikingly beautiful, enigmatic woman. As the tale unfolds, Jason accidentally shoots his corrupt partner, Leon, grabbing stolen money from the crime scene at the older policeman's urging. The guilt-ridden young man quickly takes to the road to track down Leon's lover, Linda/Shen Li, an illegal Chinese immigrant, to deliver the bag of cash to her. Jason's search takes in seedy motels and rough bars, an L.A. massage parlor and a Nevada ranch, until finally in a dingy Vegas dive, he discovers the irresistible Linda, a sparkling jewel ensnared by the sex trade. Stalked by thugs, the money's "rightful owners", Jason and Linda are thrust together to make their escape through the haunting landscape that is the California desert.

Reviews
davidlasoff

The director, Ramin Niami captures a bold vision in this story of good-cops-gone-astray trying desperately to redeem themselves. The tension of the quest is palpable throughout the film. Bai Ling is beautifully tragic in her performance of a trapped Chinese forced into sex-slavery by the cruel circumstances of her no-choices life. Chad Allen and James Russo are convincing as the cop duo whose partnership and trust disintegrates with the unfolding of events. The entertainment value and glimpse into the realities of the sex slave trade make Paris very worth seeing. Tastefully done, what is thankfully missing from Paris is blatant useless gratuitous sex and violence. Yet, the tragic and lovely romance between Jason (Chad Allen) and Linda (Bai Ling) develops elegantly amidst the desert panorama of Paris' setting. All of this makes the suspense of Paris also very romantic.

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artsofdance

Paris is a beautiful contemporary film noir. The photography is excellent and shows how great DV can look. The film offers an impressive combination of unique visual motifs with an intriguing plot. The romantic story is highlighted by Bai Ling's captivating acting. Her beauty stands out and she shows a wide emotional range. Considering she is still at the beginning of a great career!Also, Karen Black adds some extra sparks to the story.Overall, the filmmakers created a wonderful enjoyable film, I would highly recommend it!

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briantaves

A demonstration of how good a performer can be, even when the movie is ineptly directed and photographed. Bai Ling stands out for her emotional range and beauty, despite the fact that the camera here doesn't fails to take best advantage of her. The plot is the routine corrupt cops story, full of plot holes, not making much sense, with a couple thrown together and finding tragic love. The film's style constantly distracts and annoys with repetitive canted angles and a failure to take advantage of scenic possibilities, especially in the desert. The seams show so badly that it is barely above the standard of a student film. Bai Ling deserves so much better, yet withal still worth seeing just for her sake as a lesson in the art of acting.

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noxrosa

Paris is an impressive combination of a unique, socially-minded, film-noir plot, beautiful visual motifs, and further exploration of what DV filmmaking can look like.Bai Ling is captivating in every scene she's in, and Chad Allen is perfectly suited for the role of the young, struggling cop. We really come to care about both of their conflicted characters.Throughout the film the repetitive use of mirrors is just one of several visual elements that serve to make Paris artistically moving, and this, in combination with a twisiting plot that takes us between the seedier parts of Los Angeles and Los Vegas, makes this a film you can't stop once you've started.

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