The Talented Mr. Ripley

Rating:
Summary: DO NOT BUY THIS MOVIE
Review: Don't buy this movie. If you've seen it, than remedy that problem by seeing Plein Soleil: Purple Noon (1960, directed by Rene Clement), the original Talented Mr. Ripley movie, and reading the book by Patricia Highsmith.

First of all, this version undermines the greatness of the original film. Just on an asthetic (sp?) note, Seeing Matt Damon in the role of Tom after seeing Alain Delon in the same role is tragic. Jude Law in the role of Dickie doesn't live up to Maurice Ronet's acting. Law's Dickie is not nearly as commanding a personality. He has no edge. He isn't distant enough with Marge. Where Ronet seems to be playing a cruel game with Marge, Law seems to actually love her. There doesn't seem to be any good reason to kill Law, wheras Ronet comes off as a complete arse. As for Tom, Damon's Tom is more needy and soppy than Delon's Tom. Then there's still the fact that the likes of Damon was cast in a role once graced by a gorgeous actor. Clement's Purple Noon is supensful and the cinematography is beautiful. I found myself fast-forwarding through this version.

Secondly, the director of this version doesn't just not stick to the book, he destroys the book. Highsmith's novel is excellent and it pains me to think that some people have seen this movie and think it's actually a representation of what they'd get if they read the book. Clement's version doesn't exactly follow the book word for word either, but it sticks to the story (except for the end, keep in mind that this film was made in 1960)pretty well. It's still a wonderful movie. I usually hate film adaptations of books I like...
This director, Minghella, adds way too many things and scenes that have nothing to do with the original story or the original characters. I also hate the way he's changed the characters, especially Tom. To begin with, the Tom in this movie is a pianist who apparently went to Princeton... Princeton? A pianist?! This does not seem the sort of man you'd find in seedy bars, trying to avoid cops or the type who'd make money by forging signitures or defrauding the government. The real Tom wouldn't bring Shakespeare with him to Italy either. Minghella's Tom is too distinguished and cultured. Also, I remember in one scene, Tom is hesitant to spend Greenleaf's money. The "real" Tom wouldn't care. The real Tom would love spending someone else's money! The worst thing about this Tom is that he seems to develop a sort of love for Dickie. When he kills Dickie, it's because they've gotten into a fight. It seems like a crime of passion, not a premeditated act of murder for money.

Overall, this movie is a horrible remake of a fantastic book and a great movie. I have to admit that I gave up after a while out of disgust, but I saw what I needed to see in order to write this review.

Please, don't waste your time.

Rating:
Summary: HAVING IT ALL
Review: When picking out films to see, I usually gravitate toward the "small" independent type of film usually avoiding the larger "major" productions. Thus, I avoided "the Talented Mr. Ripley" up until recently. My mistake! "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is outstanding and has, to me, everything a movie should have to make it the "complete film experience"-great script and direction, great acting, wonderful sound tract and beautiful cinematography. This film has it all!
The acting, by all of the actors, is superb. Matt Damon, as Tom Ripley is outstanding. He portrays a very complicated character believably. At no time are you aware that he is acting. This character does things that are, indeed, despicable; however, due to the acting skills of Damon, I actually liked the guy and felt deep sympathy and empathy for him and for his desire to be someone else
(I think we all have been there-at least I have-fortunately all of us don't do what Tom Ripley does, in the film, to achieve our wishes). To me the last scene of the film is fantastic and heart breaking due to Matt Damon giving a gut wrenching performance--the character Tom has finally found someone to love, and has found someone that accepts him as himself but due to past deeds and the need to keep his past hidden, he has to kill the person that could have brought him love and happiness. As usual, Jude Law, as the playboy and errant son Dickie, is awesome. He plays a cad but due to his acting skills you, like this cad. Gwenyth Platrow gives a "knock-em dead" performance, as Dickie's girlfriend starting out as a plastic rich "air-head" and ending up as the only one that really knows what has happened to Dickie when he has disappeared and becoming a completely different person because of that knowledge. Her knock down drag out with the character Tom is great. Cate Blanchett plays a socialite- debutante-type wonderfully. The acting alone would have made "The Talented Mr. Ripley" a great film; however, there is more!
The film has one of the best sound tracts that I've ever heard. The sound tract makes use of Renaissance Church music, so-called "Classical music" "cool" jazz and one of my favorites I (if not my favorite) pop standards-"My Funny Valentine" sung wonderfully by Matt Damon. The sound tract is gorgeous! What impressed me the most is that Matt Damon and Jude Law took the time to learn to really play the instruments that they were suppose to be playing in the film-Damon, the piano and Law the saxophone. One of my favorite scenes is in the smoked filled American-jazz nightclub--fabulous.
The recreation of 1950-era Italy is great and it is shot beautifully.
If you want to have an enjoyable film experience, buy this film


Rating:
Summary: A Beautifully Filmed Movie
Review: Based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith-- an earlier French film PURPLE MOON was made from the same novel-- this 1999 film starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law is beautifully filmed. Much of it was shot in Italy (including Venice). Damon (Tom Ripley) plays an attractive psychopath, poor in assets but rich in imagination, who will stop at nothing, including murder, to get what he wants. He manages to con his way into the lives of Jude Law (Dickie) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Marge) in this byzantine tale of greed, desire and obsession. There are many twists and turns to the plot that never drags.

This movie is not to be missed.



Rating:
Summary: Wonderful acting....very dissapointing plot
Review: I was very excited to see this movie because I have always been an admirer of Jude Law's work, Gwenneth Pawltrow and Matt Damon are extremely talented as well. But I have to say (with much regret) that in the long run this movie was a big dissapointment for me. The main reason being that I felt that after Tom Ripley had committed his first murder, there was no suspense left in the movie. There was no mystery involved, you know who the killer is, who is killed, and basically every important piece of information in the first half of the movie. Honestly, I found myself badly wanting to turn off the movie during the last forty-five minutes because I didn't care anymore what happened to the characters.
This is a good movie if you just like to watch actors act though. Matt Damon is incredible as Tom Ripley, and manages to truely understand the character, and Jude Law and Gwenneth Paltrow play wonderfully together as Dickie and Marge. But even that was not enough to make this movie a captivating thriller, or even give it some suspense. I tried very hard to enjoy the Talented Mr. Ripley, but in the end I found it a great dissapointment, with a lack of suspense, and all together exceedingly tedious.