The Talented Mr. Ripley

Rating:
Summary: Another stunner from Minghella
Review: One of my favorite films of 1999. While it doesn't top the poetic beauty of Minghella's earlier Oscar-winning The English Patient, it's still a gorgeous film.

In my opinion, the first half is better than the second, due in large part to the presence of Jude Law who exudes an ambiguous and captivating sensuality. Who wouldn't want to know this guy? Matt Damon gives a remarkably chilling performance. Gwyneth Paltrow is like a reincarnation of Grace Kelly though I'm not generally as enamored of her acting as many others seem to be. Cate Blanchett does well as a spoiled American rich girl who falls for Ripley. Phillip Seymour Hoffman also gives a terrific supporting performance.

However, it's the cinematography that really elevates this film. The Italian locales are sun-drenched and staggeringly beautiful. The colors absolutely shine.

Gabriel Yared's score provides more than orchestral back-up. It captures the style and tone of the period and enhances the tension as the plot unfolds onscreen.

Bellissima!

Rating:
Summary: "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is one of the best movies of 1999
Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley, adapted from Patricia Highsmith's murder novel by writer-director Anthony Minghella (whose previous work includes The English Patient), is praiseworthy in every respect of the word. The film is about the hedonism of late 1950s Italy and the grand measures of deception one troubled American man would go to be accepted by a social stratum composed of arrogant, rich compatriots. The film is an intelligent and stylish thriller that is exquisitely crafted and has a superlative cast.

The title character, played by Matt Damon, lives a penniless, miserable life in New York. However, a millionaire (James Rebhorn) promises the protagonist one thousand dollars if he succeeds in persuading the rich man's wayward son, Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), to return to America from Italy, where the rebellious young man is throwing his life away on women and jazz. When Ripley meets up with Dickie he doesn't succeed in the mission he was given, but instead lives the all-for-nothing life with his compatriot. Dickie Greenleaf, along with his expatriate girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), accepts Ripley early on, but shortly afterward rejects him. Ripley then resorts to deception, lies, and worse to assume his former friend's identity and be accepted.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is so meticulous in its making and well acted by the entire cast that it is by far one of the best movies of 1999. The screenplay by Anthony Minghella is intriguing and razor sharp, and Minghella's directing is equally commendable. Veteran cinematographer John Seale provides the film with one of its main triumphs, as he beautifully showcases gorgeous locations of Italy with handsome shots. Furthermore, the period detail of the costumes (by Gary Jones and Ann Roth), art direction (by Roy Walker) and set decoration (by John Bush) are also exceptional, and the score by Gabriel Yared is sweeping and non-eclipsing.

The stellar cast is fabulous. There is not one sour performance in the whole film. The nuances and characteristics of all the characters are not entirely redeeming, but are certainly colorful. Matt Damon shines and compels as the complex, multi-layered, and ultimately troubled Thomas Ripley. In addition, Jude Law is very convincing as the supercilious Dickie Greenleaf and Gwyneth Paltrow is equally believable as Marge. Cate Blanchett is also worthy of accolades as the rather giddy socialite Meredith, and Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers a fine performance as the suspicious Freddie.

According to the special features of the DVD The Talented Mr. Ripley, the film is supposedly similar to Frederico Fellini's La Dolce Vita and I Vitelloni. In my opinion, The Talented Mr. Ripley is very reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock films in its design, story-telling, and execution. The Talented Mr. Ripley is a remake of Rene Clair's 1960 Purple Noon (Plein de Soleil), yet is so different from Clair's rendition of Highsmith's novel that it can still be intriguing in its delivery. Minghella's film, like The English Patient, is meticulously crafted, well acted, and is a celebration of filmmaking on a grand scale.

Rating:
Summary: Oscar-Caliber Desolation Of the Soul
Review: Hundreds of reviewers have commented on the beauty of the film and the setting, and the juggling of persona's that make the 2nd half such a pot-boiler.

Well, All that's true. Jude Law and Gwyneth are as close to Greek gods as anyone on the screen in decades. But the thing that makes this movie so different than other, lesser mysteries is Matt Damon's Ripley. He's living on the fringe of society and as events unfold, he falls out of 'normal space' and becomes a full-fledged sociopath.

It's the transformation which is so rare to see on film, and which is so heartbreaking, because we know Ripley wanted to fly right and is fully aware of his own downfall. He's likeable even as a monster, and, like watching a car crash, I couldn't look away.
The film was not unlike watching somebody bluff at poker and continue to win against mounting odds. The chutzpa / cajones required to go down that path were either amazing or pathological - more likely the latter.
In the end he's forced to kill his male suitor and it becomes clear that there's no place left for him in normal society. He's tainted. I wanted him captured, not just because he was so dangerous but also because he was unhappily living a lie. He had lost the real game of life and was inventing an alternate reality which had no chance and caused him constant psychic pain. In the end his only escape was prison or the grave.

Rating:
Summary: First half of the movie: Jude Law, 2nd: Matt Damon
Review: Southern Italy, the 50s. Nerdy Tom Ripley is hired to bring the gorgeous playboy Dickie Greenleaf home to America. Tom and Dickie live off Dickie's father's paycheck, and live a life Tom has never dreamed of. Then Dickie says that this cant go on forever. And Tom will do anything to keep it.
The performances or the best part of this movie. Matt Damon is effective as nerdy, pale, Tom Ripley. He takes an Oscar-worthy turn halfway when he turns into a creepy killer. Gwyneth Paltrow is also Oscar-worthy as Dickie's girlfriend, but she is best in the 2nd half when she becomes suspicious of Tom. Cate Blanchett has a small role as an aquaintance of Tom's, and she is flawless as usual. But the best of them all is two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf. His obsessions move so quickly, and Law is right on the money. He pulls off being a jerk really well, and introduces depth around the character so well. He doesn't just say the lines and follow the expressions from the director, he becomes the character and he never falters.
The fun only increases in the second half, but i wont give it away!
Grade: A

Rating:
Summary: Hitchcock would be very proud
Review: Anthony Minguella's follow up to "The English Patient" is a haunting, devious work that is reminiscent to most of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies. Although "Mr. Ripley" is a "mainstream" Hollywood work, it definitley does not play like it. In fact, this is the reason I believe "Mr. Ripley" has been popular with critics and film lovers but not so well recieved with your average movie fan.

Matt Damon plays Tom Ripley. A poor man living in New York who is sent by a millionaire ship-builder to recover his flamboyant son in beautiful Italy. Ripley is, from the very beginning, a fake. A man who lies about virtually everything and puts his master impersonation/forgery skills to good use.

When he arrives in Italy he quickly finds the outlandish son played superbly by Jude Law. He becomes friends with him and his girlfriend (Gwyneth Paltrow) and before long is living out a fantasy life in Italy.

It becomes apparent about half way through this movie that Tom Ripley is a genuinly twisted man who is willing to do anything to keep his auspicious position. This includes numerous murders, deception and total cleverness.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is quite shocking in the sense that the villain eventually prevails. There are some great suspense scenes along the way and the acting is all first class. Damon turns in a spine tingling performance that easily outshines his other great acting job in "Good Will Hunting." In that film he played a kind of hooligan genius, in "Mr. Ripley" he is an utterly sinister genius that is far more affecting. Jude Law got an Oscar nomination for his performance. He's not that good (he was better in Gattaca) but he still does a decent job as the debonaire, spoiled brat. Paltrow is fine and Philip Seymour Hoffman turns in another great (yet unnoticed) performance as a lethargic, pretensious rich kid.

Minguella does a wonderful job of keeping the story moving. "The Talented Mr. Ripley" sometimes risks collapsing under its own weight but Minguella knows what he is doing when holding the two and a half hour film together.

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a sinister masterpiece. It reaches back into the past with a very film-noir approach which is both welcome and appreciated in the current sad-state of Hollywood filmaking. Appreciate the film for what it is and don't be too alarmed by the fact that the villain is the character that you are forced to sympathize with. "Mr. Ripley" is different and should be embraced for this, not condemned by people who want the usual Hollywood formula movie. If you want to watch run of the mill Hollywood fluff, watch the "Cider House Rules." If you want evil genius watch "Ripley."

Rating:
Summary: A Smart and Classy Thriller.
Review: Anthony Minghella is a true magician. He turns the best books into the best movies. He is awesome. Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, and Cate Blanchett come together in a smart ans classy thriller that will blow your mind. This is one of the best assembled cast I have ever seen in the movie. The film is seductive and thrilling. It reminds me of the old movies of the 1960s. I highly reccomend this film.

Rating:
Summary: The Web We Weave....
Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley is such an intriguing movie because the sheer number of subtexts it presents to the viewer. One is not sure of what theme to latch on to. Should we pay more attention to the sexual side of Ripley's persona, his longing to be with his friend Dickey? Is it a class struggle, in which Ripley feels that he of greater intelligence should somehow reap the rewards of Dickie's life, that he is a man worth the Greenleaf fortune? Or, is it simple jealousy and greed that drive Ripley's violently aggressive ways? We are forced to look at this panorama of motives because of the intriguing nature of Ripley in this film. He is truly fascinating because he is somewhat invisible, intangible. Ripley is attractive because he is everything that society should not be, he is a man of no morals besides the gain and advantage of himself. He is less a man than a force. Perhaps, however, Ripley forces us to watch him because he reminds us of ourselves, to a disturbing degree.

The film begins with poor Tom Ripley, a nobody from a nobody family who is living nowhere in New York. By chance and because of his own lies, he is sent to Italy in order to bring home the son of a shipping scion. Dickie Greenleaf is a do nothing playboy who likes nothing better than traveling around Italy on his father's money, entertaining himself in various ways. Ripley, attracted to these attributes, among others, uses his natural ability to lie and steal identity in order to become friends with Dickie. The relationship is a joyous one, even involving the sympathetic fiancé of Dickie, a struggling writer. However, Dickie begins to suspect that his new friend is more than he seems, and that there is something just not right about him. As the friendship deteriorates, so does Tom, a personal disintegration with horrific consequences for all involved. Using his amazing intelligence and novel ability at trickery, Ripley begins a quest of self improvement and outright thievery, unleashing a plan as smart as it is devious. The viewer gets to watch in somewhat stunned glee as everything, slowly, falls Tom's way.

The acting in this movie is superb. Matt Damon is spot on as the repressed maniac Tom Ripley, using his boyish good looks to hide the complex character within. Damon is aided in his endeavor by a great supporting cast of young actors, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow. This set of young rich Americans has quite the playground, as 1950's Italy is lovingly recreated by director Anthony Minghella, who uses the ancient beauty and sunset lushness of the peninsula in order to highlight the nefarious schemes he films. The plot lags a bit at points, but the story is as chilling as it is effective, and never fails to astound the viewer with its brutal complexity. Very good.

Rating:
Summary: *Brilliant*Brilliant*Brilliant*
Review: I haven't been a huge fan of Anthony Minghella until I checked The Talented Mr. Ripley out. It's simply superb! I love the way he's telling the story, sophisticated and profound. The changes he has made to the storyline just added another tragic yet sweet flavor to the movie. And the cast is GREAT! I never liked Matt Damon too much but his portray of the not-so-cold-blooded killer Tom Ripley is convincing, although sometimes I do wonder maybe Jude Law could do an even better job playing this character. But surely there's nobody who could be a better Dickie than Jude Law, spoiled, self-centered yet lovable, he is as gorgeous as always. Cate Blanchett has been my favorite actress since the first time I saw her in Elizabeth. Although Meredith is a minor role in it, she's done a wonderful job by playing this naive and somehow superficial girl. I always enjoy Philip Seymour Hoffman's acting. This rich Freddie keeps annoying me but I guess that's why he is a fine actor. And attributed to the excellent performance of British actor Jack Davenport, Peter Smith-Kingsley has become my favorite character in the whole movie. Gentle, caring and beautiful as he is, I couldn't help feeling heart-broken when the story ends *SIGH*

Rating:
Summary: What a great surprise
Review: I remember watching the trailers for this movie and thinking, "That looks boring." But I also wondered why Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett were in it if it was just boring. Once it was nominated for best picture I was even more skeptical. Boy, am I glad I finally saw it and never heard a word about it. What a great plot! Talk about gradually turning up the dramatic tension! Enough said. Watch it.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best....
Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley begins with Tom Ripley playing piano among wealthy and privileged people. It's a pattern that carries throughout the movie- Tom wanting something he can't have by pretending to be something he's not. Everything after that shows us Tom's life as it really is. He's a nobody, someone forced onto the fringes of society by circumstances beyond his control. He lives a life not of quiet desperation but smoldering desperation. Through a series of events, Tom finds himself in a tense gamble that just keeps getting more and more tense. The gamble is very interesting, but the real genius of the film lies in the way Tom and those around him are portrayed. Tom is a sociopath but you begin to feel sympathy for him when he is contrasted against Dickie Greenleaf. Dickie is played masterfully by Jude Law. He's the popular kid in school. The kid no one likes but everyone wants to be liked by. He does thoughtless, irresponsible things to everyone around him. Sure, you're supposed to feel sympathy and regret over his death, but you almost feel he had it coming. Tom is the villain, sure, but he is also the kid in school that just wants to belong and be liked by someone. He's someone that you sympathize with on a social level. It's through these strange sympathies that the movie gains it's power. Go out and buy it and watch it a few times. It's money well spent.