Rating: 
Summary: Ugly American(s) in Beautiful late-1950's Italy!!
Review: First of all the outdoors (and indoors) locations in Italy are good for at least one star from me. Rome, Venice, etc. a pleasure to watch. Unfortunately, watching Damon for over two hours as a slowly unwinding psycho is not pleasant, though his acting is top notch.But the jazz scenes and orchestral score are great too. As far as the Law character (Dickie) goes, even if a caricature, no doubt such smug,shallow types flaunting Daddy's money are everywhere. My question is "What did Paltrow's character see in him anyway?", but the answer is too obvious. The only truly "nice" character is the gay Brit who enters the scene at the end. Then again, all the Italians, except the inept police, are poor and happy, compared to the rich and unhappy Americans. There is probably no better example of a manipulative, devious nobody in all of filmdom than Tom Ripley(Damon),though the viewer can even sympathize with him (a little)in the climactic rowboat scene. This is when the "thriller" effectively begins. And the film does have a mesmorizing, dreamy quality all the way through. Paltrow's is also the only character who can put two and two together, and is great in some of the final scenes...Moral to the story? Stay away from odd, manipulating freeloaders!!
Rating: 
Summary: The Talented Mr. Damon
Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley. I was unable to see it in the theater, and now I'm sorely kicking myself for it. I rented it one night and I was hooked. The story intrigued me. I knew that Tom Ripley was not the person he seemed to be, but I couldn't figure out why. The subtle clues in the movie...sent chills down my spine. The clues given throughout the movie are excellent. And the cast helps the screenplay and locations 110%. Jude Law, Gwenneth Paltrow, Phillip Seymore Hoffman and Cate Blanchet are excellent. They took some liberties from the book, but I didn't care. Matt Damon made Tom Ripley come alive with the subtle creepyness. He made me debate about his psycho crimes and desires. I never truely felt he was in the wrong. Isn't that what a good psychological thriller is supposed to do? I think it is, and The Talented Mr. Ripley accomplishes its goal of unsettling the viewer. So come with your brains in the "on" positiuon, or you'll miss it.
Rating:
Summary: CLASSY & INTELLIGENT THRILLER
Review: Mistaken for a Princeton graduate whilst wearing a borrowed blazer, the low born New York charmer, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), is dispatched by rich businessman Herbert Greenleaf (James Rebhorn), to travel first class on an all-expenses-paid mission, to bring his errant young playboy son, Dickie (Jude Law), back to New York from his champagne and party filled life on the Mediterranean. However, on meeting the handsome and charismatic Dickie (and his equally attractive girlfriend), the awestruck Tom falls for his charms and an ambiguous relationship begins. Tom, the social chameleon who has talents for forgery and impersonation, feeling that he cannot enter this world as himself begins to transform his identity, by learning new skills, studying jazz, art, geography and foreign languages. He not only changes his clothes he also changes his character. Meanwhile the innocent and trusting Meredith (Cate Blanchett) who met Tom on his arrival in Europe accepts Tom as an equal because she thinks he is Dickie Greenleaf. But all is not well in the playground of the rich, for Dickie is in turns as unpleasant and rude as he is debonair and charming, and soon he and his rich friends begin to tire of the financially inferior and all too clingy Tom, who has no intention of being cast adrift, for it is his belief that "its better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody"...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!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Demon Damon Role
Review: Here's a film that I watched upon wakening one early morning, and it is truly an eye opener in more ways than one. ......... Matt Damon as the movie namesake, is sent to Italy by the father of a spoiled and wayward son Dickie (Jude Law) to bring him home. Instead, Ripley becomes infatuated with Dickie upon their first meeting. He charms with his uncanny imitations of Dickie's Dad, mimickry being his talent. He then insinuates himself and becomes part of a troika with Dickie and his fiance, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. When the idolatry begins to pall, Ripley is rejected and trouble begins. ............. Part of what makes this special, is the most incredible European flavor throughout the film, and the mood it creates. The gorgeous countryside locale shot in Italy with all the wonderful statues, fountains, marble, gardens ect...is a treat for the eyes. This film also showcases the talented Mr. Matt Damon in an outstanding portrayal of a sociopath who has crossed the line and gone too far to ever come back. ............... For a very interesting plot, a fine character study, and a video trip to beautiful Italy, you must see this film. It's truly fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: The Talented Matt Damon
Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley features brilliant performances through and through (Jude Law, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Gwyneth Paltrow) but the true revelation is Matt Damon. It might seem like a big stretch for a hard-edged Bostonite ladies man type to play a 1950's homosexual hanger-on, but the stretch is right on. It's a downright travesty Damon wasn't nominated for an Oscar for this performance. He hits all the right notes: creepiness, subtle flamboyance, deviousness. The character is so well imagined (from the Patricia Highsmith book and Minghella's screenplay) and so well acted, that the character does something that movies rarely do these days: contain realism, but maintain a sense of movie-like fantasy to him, so we're not bothered with the "hey, i've done that before!" acknowledgement. Thankfully the rest of the characters are just as interesting. Jude Law (following the equally brilliant 1997 film Gattaca) yet again plays a man whose identity is taken from him. He pulls off the accent greatly, and at first, you might wonder, shouldn't the pretty-looking Law play Ripley and the toughboy Damon play Dickie? Soon though comes the realization that Law and Damon are Great Actors, capable of both star power and acting their parts convincingly against type. In addition to the rich character development, the atmosphere and cinemotography of the lavish European vacationing lifetsyle that Minghella sets up is lush and inviting, and when Ripley and Greenleaf are out on the boat together, it stirs a chill that feels genuine and earned.
Rating:
Summary: Dial M meets the Lost Generation
Review: The TMR moview is a masterpiece of suspense and a commentary of the ex-pat Lost Generation. This generation is the American young and wealthy crowd that seeks excitement and fun in each European city during a period when a buck was a buck in the early 50s. It is the time when Daddy's trust account could hide and erase sins and when thrills did not yet discover nose poweder, but skiing on the slopes and boating. Still true today, more so back then when the Net, data bases, and TV did not exist and did not flesh out the truth as readily. Rather than rehash the plot, which has already been done on this board, I would like to offer this film as another commentary on the "money is bad" image, found in works such as Great Gatsby. The characters who have money in this movie, all have dubious qualities; getting girls pregnant, trying to marry right, trying to party right,etc. That is acceptable as a moneyed crowd that does good would be too boring for a book or movie. However, the story takes the cliche rules and creates a knife with which to stab each character in the heart and punish them for their aimless lifestyle.But what a knife and so well done. Naturally, the ultimate act is murder and some may say, even true love lost. Now the story gets real interesting. Will Mat be found out? Did the rich brats really need to trade a boring Park Avenue for this? In the end, the movie says that the idle rich are doomed. Meanwhile, one enjoys the great costumes, including the small hats, the beautiful landscapes, BCBG lifestyles, and the feeling that perhaps we wish we could have had this lifestyle. But be careful, don't wish too strongly.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: I am a VERY big fan of dark movies - and an even BIGGER one of gorgeous cinematography. Which is why I liked this movie. Matt Damon is truly incredible. Other reviewers have stated they cannot understand why he lies throughout the movie, seemingly, "for no reason." I COMPLETELY understand his character. I, too, lied to people "for no reason" - but in reality, I had a reason - I lied to get others to accept me and like me. I feared that if they knew the truth, they would shun me. That extreme fear of rejection caused many problems for me. You find yourself telling bigger and more fantastic lies to cover the smaller ones. You also find yourself lying when you don't really have the need to - because it's become so commonplace. Tom Ripley needs to lie for these reasons and for another - he's killed a man he loves. What happens after that is intriguing. Gwyneth Paltrow isn't very good in this movie, but Jude Law - playing the quintessential rich jerk, Dickie (true to his name, I guess) - was great. The ending, like "American Beauty," is very shocking and extremely sad. I intend to read the book very soon.
Rating:
Summary: A rarity -- a movie ALMOST as good as the book
Review: I think most people would agree that MOST movies-made-from-books don't even come close to the books themselves. Orders of events are changed, minor characters are deleted, even entire sections of the plots are left out for "artistic reasons" (or simply because it costs too much to include them in the film). If you're lucky, you see the movie and THEN read the book; otherwise, you're left utterly disappointed. Well, I read "The Talented Mr. Ripley" before seeing it on video. And I was hesitant about seeing the movie, as the book was incredibly rich and very deep, especially in character development. I had huge doubts that the movie could do the book justice. But to my very pleasant surprise, they seemed to have pulled it off somehow. This movie is actually almost as good as the book -- amazing!! Matt Damon is absolutely superb as Tom Ripley. He looks like Tom, has his mannerisms, has his voice. Damon is SO successful at portraying Tom Ripley as Highsmith had written of his character in her book: A conniving, pathetic psychopath, who disgusts you but also somehow manages to make you feel sorry for him in the process. A very tough role for any actor, but Damon was excellent. Likewise, Jude Law is wonderful at portraying the likeable extrovert Dickie Greenleaf -- a rich kid who's lazing away in Italy on Daddy's money, but who still doesn't come across as a selfish snob. Gwyneth Paltrow does a good job as hesitant Marge, who lacks self-confidence and only wants Dickie to reciprocate the devotion she has for him. My only complaint about having Paltrow in this role is that I feel she is too pretty to play Marge, as in the book Marge is a bit more homely. But still, Paltrow gets Marge's personality down pat, which is most important. The other thing that is pulled off nicely in the movie is the adaptation of the scenery and historical era of the book. The on-location scenes in Italy are breathtaking -- makes you want to be in Italy yourself! Before seeing the movie, I was afraid that the director had chosen to modernize the story, placing it in the latter 20th century. To my surprise he didn't, but instead stayed true to the story's place in the 1950s. This allowed the movie to have that "old" feel that the book also had. Since the book focused on the characters primarily and the plot secondarily, this movie gets four stars from me. However, I can't give a fifth star because, unfortunately, the movie lacks some very important portions of the plot, which changes the tale a bit. And considering that the book was only 290 pages to begin with, I'm not sure why the moviemakers couldn't have fit as much in as possible. All in all, this film did what most others in its catagory can't -- do justice to the novel upon which it is based. It's a good movie by itself, but of course, I still recommend the book.
Rating:
Summary: Talented, and Tantalizing, Psychological Thriller :)
Review: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY is one of those rare films that make you truly appreciate the fine art that moviemaking can be. By now, you who are reading this already know the basic story: Set in the 1950's, a young drifter from New York by the name of Tom Ripley (played to subtle but intense perfection by the talented Matt Damon) befriends, and insinuates himself into the lives of, rich spoiled Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) and his girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow) in coastal Italy after being sent there by Dickie's rich industrialist father. Mr. Greenleaf merely wants his slacker son to come back to New York and take a managerial position in his company, but Tom has different plans which gradually become more and more revealed during the first half of the film. Dickie doesn't want to come back to the States, anyway; he's having far too much fun with his new friend Tom, who introduced himself as someone Dickie knew while at Princeton University. While Dickie never fully believed this story, Tom somehow intrigues him with his many abilities, such as with languages, and his quiet and irrespressible charm. The main benefit Tom provides Dickie with is male companionship, which becomes a source of shame to the promiscuously bisexual Dickie, who cheats on his would-be fiance` with members of both sexes. In the meantime, the fully homosexual Tom develops an obsessive crush on Dickie. When Dickie begins to rebuff him, Tom learns quickly how to use his friend's philanderous ways to his own advantage. How he does this you may already know by now, but what makes THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY so engrossing is not merely the events that play out, but how each character's flaws play off of each other, and how the situation gradually snowballs to a conclusion that is as unavoidable as it is unpalatable. The events of this story also involve intriguing supporting characters that are played by the always-uniquely-cast Philip Seymour Hoffman (who has built up his film career with impressive supporting roles in successful films such as TWISTER and BOOGIE NIGHTS to FLAWLESS, ALMOST FAMOUS, and now this film) and the always-appealing Cate Blanchett (as radiant here as she was in ELIZABETH). They help round out the flavor of the film as well as helping to create some of the more pivotal moments in it. This film is an intensive period character study that presents a time and a place where urges were joyfully pursued but always hidden, and were never, ever discussed in public. Plus, the film's breathtaking scenes, which were shot on location in places like coastal Genoa, the ruins of ancient Rome, and the canals of Venice, provide a perfect backdrop for these characters and their decadent, not-quite-liberated lifestyles. Anthony Minghella, who wrote and directed this movie, adapted Patricia Highsmith's novel far more successfully than he did THE ENGLISH PATIENT, which I found to be quite ponderous in certain areas. Although it didn't win nearly as many Oscars, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY never gives you the feeling that it's straying off its central plot. However, you never feel like you know exactly what's going to come next during any given scene. This movie is so well constructed that you just HAVE to stay with it to find out how it all turns out. When you do, you are rewarded with a conclusion that is both disturbing and real, and certainly does not feel contrived by any means. If only 'true stories' presented on film had as much of a mastery and understanding of human emotions; then we'd have more films that are as transfixing as this one is! Definite recommendation to buy.
Rating: 
Summary: JUDE LAW STEALS EVERY SCENE HE`S IN
Review: This i s over-the-top and on the stupid side. The plot and the gaytheme never reach catharisis; it`s only helped by the Italian landscape and the ever impressive Jude Law...
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