From Paris with Love

From Paris with Love is currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Fawesome, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. John Travolta's performance alone is worth the time investment. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

From Paris with Love arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. From Paris with Love treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. James Reese has a good job as an ambassador's aid in France, but his real passion is a side gig—working in a minor role in the CIA. He would love to be a full-fledged agent and can't believe his luck when he lands an assignment with Charlie Wax. Trigger-happy Charlie soon has James crying for his desk job, but when he learns that the same guys they're trying to catch are after him, James realises that Charlie may be his only hope of survival. The writing gets a boost from John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 2010. What makes From Paris with Love hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find From Paris with Love proves them wrong. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. John Travolta carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.