DVD : The Talented Mr Ripley [2000]

Rating: - Fails to gel
From the first reading of Highsmith's novel I felt she was a minor genius in evoking both the mind of a deeply disturbed character and the divided society of high elegance and low misery in which he moved and from which he was alienated. Was the split in his mind or the society's? Surely both. For years Holywood seemingly "bottled" out of confronting the issue as it avoided Highsmith's most masterly opus. This film was eagerly awaited. Disappointingly the whole comes to less than the sum of its parts. The locations and period values are stunning. The direction is considered. The essence of Highsmith's novel sporadically peeps through some of the acting. Yet the final article fails to convince. Damon and Law are too unsubtle and lack the chemistry to realize the homoerotic undercurrent essential to the evolution of the plot. The characters fail to fit within the lovingly evoked '50s settings. It felt weirdly as though 21st century characters were transplanted into a 1950s milieu. The "spirit" of the acting failed to coalesce with the externals. The departures from the novel merely contributed to the diffusion of the plot and the unconvincing ending. I can empathize with other reviewers who thought the film went on too long....from the point at which, I believe, it departed from the understated tension of the novel to overdramatize Ripley's anti-heroic personality. One of the strengths of the novel lay in suggesting how precisely such an understated and chameleon personality as Ripley's could literally "get away" with murder by (unconsciously or instinctively, perhaps) taking advantage of his society's readiness or need to turn a blind eye where elegant appearance conflicted with bloody reality. The overwhelming feeling at the end of this film is that this character could never have got away with it. So - good in parts, I feel; but we still await the definitive English version of Highsmith's 'magnum opus' on film.

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Rating: - Stylish locations & an enthralling plot.
This is an intelligent & captivating film which is based upon the art of deception & thinking on your feet.
Set in the 1950's ,a time when the world was simpler & less commercial, it captures the wonderful decadence of post war Italy & the way that an outsider, Tom Ripley, worms his way into a world that is way above his station.
It's well acted & has the plot develops at steady pace. Recommended

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Rating: - interesting
I like this film a lot.
I am not at all a fan of gwyneth paltrow and jude law too is an actor whose presence has often kept me from watching certain movies. The same goes for cate blanchet. I found all of them rather good in this one.
Philip Seymor Hoffmans presence does the oposite and in this film too, he is excellent,almost as creepy as matt damons character, ripley, he adds to the athmosphere very well. Matt Damon is excellent in this film.
I really enjoyed it.
The only funny thing was spotting the cover of "tutu" a miles davis album released in'86.

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Rating: - The Talented Matt Damon
The Talented Mr Ripley is an unusual film, an eerie tale of jealousy, violence, loneliness, and desperation. Tom Ripley is a man who has, in his own mind, no self worth, no identity, and no substance. His ideas of life and existence depend on how he is perceived by others, and when that is no longer good enough..... Matt Damon is superb as the shy, self effacing Tom Ripley, an outwardly timid, unassuming man who shows little sign of what lurks beneath his pleasant front. Jude Law is also great as the vain, fickle Dickie Greenleaf, the rich boy who befriends Tom, and Gwyneth Paltrow also shines through as the loveable Marge, Dickie's girlfriend. Fans of the Patricia Highsmith novels will not be disappointed, as Anthony Minghella has superbly crafted her excellent literary prose onto the screen. This must also be one of the most skillfully shot movies of recent times, the scenery is fantastic and seldom has Italy been portrayed as such a beautiful country. This movie is definitely worth watching. It is becoming increasingly rare for movies to evoke serious emotions within the viewer, and with The Talented Mr Ripley, there are many occasions where these such emotions are aroused. A very good film.

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Rating: - good...but not good enough for a remake
Plein Soleil is better. Personal opinion I realise...but is it enough to make you seek out the original book to film translation?

Let me prompt you. I've read all of the Ripley novels (loved the lot - but that reminds me: X would really love those green silk pyjamas I saw in the Burlington Arcade...) and it is my humble opinion that the 1960 film is far, far closer to capturing the "charming (but deeply amoral) man does very very very bad thing but gets away with it - and aren't you secretly glad that he does?" feeling of the novels.

It's up to you to find out. I'ts all about the choices we make in this life. Will you make the difficult but rewarding choice? Ripley did. Why shouldn't you?