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| | Label: Lions Gate
Salesrank: 69378
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| Our Price: $54.89 |
| Used Price: $29.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Movie Description
The story of an unyielding southern racist, Paris Trout, who murders a young black girl. Paris is so narrow-minded and self-obsessed that he believes that he and his little town are impervious to the laws and mores of a larger world. Paris Trout makes his own harsh rules, including justice by murder, and expects everyone to live by them. Adapted from the novel by Pete Dexter.
Synopsis
Paris Trout is a Southern storekeeper and money lender charging obscene interest rates to the black population. When a black man borrows cash to buy a car from Trout, and the used- up vehicle crashes the same day, he refuses to pay. In response, Trout shoots, without remorse, the man's mother and 12-year-old sister. Trout feels sure that, as a white man, no one will arrest him for the crime -- but he's wrong, and when he's tried for the death of the child, he maintains his innocence, while becoming more and more detached from reality.
Paris Trout Reviews:
Little-Known Film Is Worth A Look 
2009-04-03 - Dennis Hopper, Barbara Hershey and Ed Harris: now there's three last names- all beginning with H- and all in their prime in the 1980s. Here's a bigger oddity: nary a profane word spoken by either Hopper or Harris in this movie!
There also is very little violence. However, when it occurs, it is shocking. Hopper plays his normal evil person and is convincing, as always. The film is fascinating for the first half but then bogs down with the romance between Hershey and Harris. It picks up again at the end.
The scenery here of the rural South of the 1940s is very pretty. This is an odd film; almost hard to classify, but certainly worth a look. It's not a well-known film, as you can see by the amount of reviews. I've seen it twice and enjoyed it both times.
The intense Hopper
2009-02-02 - The intenseness of Dennis Hopper comes out in a red-neck way while trying to deal with multiple situations involving women, blacks, and not to be forgotten, the elderly. Not exactly the Southern hospitality you'd expect. No one is exempt from his justice. How does one get released from jail after getting convicted for murder and sentenced? Check with your good old boy network.
Vile southern bigot's journey into madness 
2008-08-04 - Well I'am not too surprised this movie doesn't get too attention. I wouldn't it call a masterpiece but neither a terrible movie. It falls somewhere in the middle.
Plot (Spoilers to follow): An altercation between a racist white man and a black boy about the ownership of a damaged vehicle prompts the white man to kill the boy's mother and sister.
Pros:
Dennis Hopper's character as Paris Trout is probably the most fleshed out character in the movie. The movie main selling point basically is this bigot's journey into madness and self-destruction and to that Dennis Hopper does it like the veteran he is.
Cons:
*Predictable ending
*The other characters are one dimensional and weak
*The ending itself leaves you a bit unsatisfied.
Barbara Hershey is a great actress but her character is so one dimensional it's almost annoying. Hanna Trout represents back then and even today the battered housewife, the housewife whose come to expect nothing from life except the misery of her husband.
Ed Harris's character as Harry Seagraves is pretty much despite his handsome, heroic appearences not much better than Paris Trout. Here's a lawyer defending a murderer who he knows is guilty, has sex with his wife and well there's pretty much it.
The story takes place in Georgia and well while I can go along with the fact that the law has in certain situations been corrupt, why is it that no one else confronts Paris? Certainly the character is so hateful and pitiful that I was awaiting for the moment when somebody takes revenge on him but it never happens. I realize Stephen Gyllenhaal's goal was to show an evil man getting away with murder but he could have made things more interesting which leads to my next point: This movie is way too long.
This movie could have been cut down immensely like the court scenes which serves no purpose especially when we learn how Paris gets away with murder.
All in all it's an ok film, some might like others not. It's probably not the type of film you would watch again as there are other films like it. However, if you are a Dennis Hopper fan you'll probably like it.
An all-around masterpiece!! 
2007-12-12 - Glad to see this somewhat underappreciated, overlooked and forgotten masterpiece is finally on DVD. Maybe now more people will discover its brilliance. Don't really have much to add to the existing reviews except two things:
I almost feel that Hopper's lucky he was a long established actor and this wasn't his debut because Paris Trout is such a loathsome character, and Hopper was so effective in the role, that it could have been one of those cases where the disgust for the character bled over to the actor. He was that good.
Also, I seem to remember there was some controversy over this film because, like Linda Fiorentino in "The Last Seduction", many wanted to give the film, and Hopper, Oscar nominations but Academy rules forbid it because, even though it did have a limited theatrical release, it was produced by and originally aired on cable (Showtime I think). Too bad because I have to wonder if Hopper would have won if he had of received a nomination for best actor. I have no doubt he would have at least received a nomination.
GREAT movie and a must see for anyone who loves great acting and writing!!
A powerful film
2007-07-19 - This Dennis Hopper film has not received the attention it deserves. Classic performance by Hopper at his most menacing. Barbara Hershey and Ed Harris are also excellent in this powerful drama! If you are a Hopper fan, you'll definitely enjoy his character portrayal.
