The Talented Mr Ripley [DVD] [2000]

The Talented Mr Ripley subtly portrays the hedonistic lifestyle of rich, young Americans in the 1950's. In the movie, Tom is less the casebook amoral psychopath of the novel and more a victim of class in his desire to be like the rich but cruel Dickie and Freddie. The film is, however, anything but simple and only about an hour in does the film become anything approaching an orthodox thriller. You are kept hooked throughout as we guess at Tom's motives..., which is at best ambiguous. We observe the mercurial Dickie toy with his affections, whilst Dickie's girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), aware of Dickie's weaknesses, looks on.

Although fans of the novel may be unhappy with the liberties taken with both the plot and the characters from Patricia Highsmiths novel, most people will agree that Anthony Minghella has done an excellent job in imaginatively and successfully bringing The Talented Mr Ripley to the big screen. Not only does he direct this excellent and very intelligent thriller with a sure and subtle touch but he perfectly captures the beauty of the mediteranean, as the movie moves from one spectacular venue to another; from San Remo to Naples, Rome, and Venice. It also stars a top notch and perfectly cast array of the worlds finest young actors, including Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting), Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare In Love), Jude Law (A.I.), as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman (Happiness) and Cate Blanchette (Elizabeth), all on top form. Damon's Ripley is an odd figure, his cumbersome awkwardness contrasting perfectly with Jude Law's cool and casual arrogance as Dickie Greenleaf, lolling around on his Riviera deck-chair as if the world owes him a living. And, although Matt Damon is truly outstanding, it is Jude Law's Oscar-nominated turn and Hoffman's brilliantly obnoxious performance as an ugly-rich American that come close to stealing the movie.

There are many unforgettable moments, in this beautifully crafted movie that Hitchcock would be proud of, as Tom struggles to maintain his dual identity. More dramatically satisfying than The English Patient, The Talented Mr Ripley is an intelligent film, carefully cast and immaculately performed. Highly recommended this for people who love suspense and prefer to watch movies that come with an IQ!!!

The filming is lush and sumptous, both in the first hour which is set in gorgeous southern Italy, (captured beautifully), and the second part of the film which moves north. Jude Law does a good job of playing the handsome yet excrutiatingly-superficial Dickie Greenleaf, although Gwyneth Paltrow seems to spend most of the film looking rather at a loss as to what she's supposed to do with herself, which I guess to be fair is pretty much like the character she's playing! Cate Blanchett has a stronger role as the geeky poor-little-rich-girl heiress who befriends Ripley. One of the pivotal themes to the story is the snobbery which runs rampent in the world which Ripley longs to join, and you know that Blanchett's character wouldn't be anywhere near as friendly to him if she knew who he was really Tom Ripley, toilet-attendant.

The homosexual undertones are exactly that, undertones. You do feel for Ripley's frustration at not being able to be honest about his feelings for Dickie, and know that this crowd would tear him apart if they really guessed the truth. The plot is as complex as any Hitchcock thriller, and it is astonishing the knots it gets itself into in the second half of the film. And being a jazz buff I thought the music was pretty good too.