From Paris With Love: Review, Streaming, Cast, and Plot

Some action movies age like fine wine. Others go stale after a single viewing. From Paris With Love belongs to a third category: the kind of film you remember not for its awards but for its sheer, unapologetic energy. Directed by Pierre Morel (Taken) and released in 2010, this 92-minute thriller pairs John Travolta with Jonathan Rhys Meyers for a ride through Paris that critics panned but audiences still stream.

Release year: 2010 ·
Runtime: 92 minutes ·
Director: Pierre Morel ·
IMDb rating: 6.4/10 ·
Rotten Tomatoes: 34% (Tomatometer)

Six details define this film at a glance:

The pattern: a modest critical score but a cult audience that keeps streaming — the film lives on as a guilty pleasure rather than a masterpiece.

Is From Paris With Love a good film?

Critical reception

• The film holds a 34% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator) based on 138 reviews.
• Metacritic gives a score of 42, indicating mixed or average reviews (Metacritic (review aggregator)).

User ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes

• IMDb rating stands at 6.4/10 from over 150,000 user votes (IMDb (film industry database)).
• Rotten Tomatoes audience score is 51% from more than 100,000 ratings (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)).

The catch: critics called it formulaic, but audiences gave it a pass — it’s the kind of movie you enjoy if you don’t expect a plot beyond explosions and one-liners.

Where can I watch From Paris With Love?

Netflix availability

As of early 2025, From Paris With Love streams on Netflix in limited regions, including the United States and Canada, but availability rotates. According to IMDb (film industry database), the title is listed on Netflix in some countries, not all. Check your local library.

Amazon Prime Video purchase/rent

You can buy or rent the film on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99 (SD) or $14.99 (HD) depending on your region (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)).

UK streaming options

In the UK, the film is not currently on BBC iPlayer or Sky Cinema. The most reliable option is Apple TV (digital storefront) for rental or purchase. Now TV subscribers can check its rotating library.

The trade-off: you won’t find it on every platform, but for a few dollars you can own the digital copy — or just wait for Netflix to rotate it back in.

How old is John Travolta in From Paris With Love?

John Travolta’s age during filming

John Travolta was born on February 18, 1954, making him 56 years old when the film was shot in 2009-2010 (IMDb (film industry database)). At the time, he was already a veteran actor with decades of iconic roles — from Grease to Pulp Fiction — and this film marked his second collaboration with director Pierre Morel after From Paris With Love.

Co-star Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born July 27, 1977) was 32 years old during principal photography (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)). The age gap between the two leads became a talking point: Travolta’s older, wilder spy mentors the younger, more restrained agent.

Why this matters: Travolta’s late-career pivot to action roles — The Taking of Pelham 123, Killing Season — often cast him as aging, unorthodox tough guys. From Paris With Love is a textbook example of that phase.

What is the plot of From Paris With Love?

James Reese (Jonathan Rhys Meyers, per Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)) is a low-level CIA agent working as an ambassador’s aide in Paris. He is paired with Charlie Wax (John Travolta), a trigger-happy American spy, to stop a terrorist attack. The action-thriller involves a web of espionage, shootouts, and a race against time across the city of lights (IMDb (film industry database)).

The simplicity is deliberate — plot is not the point; it’s a vehicle for Travolta to chew scenery. As one critic put it, “the story is thin, but the explosions are loud” (JoBlo (movie review site)).

Who stars in From Paris With Love?

Main cast

• John Travolta as Charlie Wax (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator))
• Jonathan Rhys Meyers as James Reese (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator))

Supporting actors

• Kasia Smutniak as Caroline (IMDb (film industry database))
• Richard Durden as Ambassador Bennington (IMDb (film industry database))
• Bing Yin as M. Wong (IMDb (film industry database))

The cast is small, and Travolta dominates nearly every scene. Rhys Meyers plays the straight man, letting Travolta go full throttle — a dynamic that works for fans of buddy-action flicks. For more casting comparisons, see the Cast of Weapons (2025 Film): Full List, Plot, and Release Info or the Cast of The Old Guard 2: Full List of Returning and New Actors.

“From Paris With Love is a disposable action thriller with some laughs.”

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator))

“John Travolta delivers an energetic performance as Charlie Wax.”

JoBlo review (JoBlo (movie review site))

Fans of fast-paced spy thrillers like From Paris with Love might also enjoy the classic 007 adventure From Russia with Love cast, which features Sean Connery in one of his most iconic roles.

Frequently asked questions

For UK viewers looking to stream the film, the choice is clear: check Netflix monthly, or pay £3.49 on Amazon Prime Video. Otherwise, wait for the next rotation — or grab the Blu-ray from a secondhand shop. From Paris With Love isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s an hour and a half of pure popcorn entertainment that knows exactly what it is.