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The Talented Mr. Ripley

The Talented Mr. Ripley

List Price: $19.99
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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Thriller with MAJOR flaws
Review: Despite Oscar-awarded Director and actors, despite beautiful scenery and settings, camera-work and music, the movie was BORING! BORING! and I'm very sorry to say that.

J Law is OK as a handsome rich playboy (which is not difficult to portray),G Paltrow is insipid and flat (well, as usual, I think), BUT MOST IMPORTANT M Damon looks repulsive in those awful black-rimmed glasses and inspires not an ounce of compassion or pity. I also didn't notice any strain of him portraying "psychological breakdown", except if you count hitting J Law with an oar as a breakdown. I think the problem of the movie, as other revieweres have noted before me, was that M Damon was not the one to play the leading role - he doesn't have the spark or lustre. (By the way, I think Christian Bale from "American Psycho would have been OK in this role - he has a crazy spark in his eyes). Even if he tried very hard he would never be able to pretend being J Law, or he'd have to kill the whole town to keep his identity!

Too, it seems incredible that so many reviewers find this movie enticing and thrilling! Otherwise, RENT (on a rainy day) and watch this movie, for you can always fast forward the most boring parts...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "Talented" cast of "Mr. Ripley"
Review: I'm actually really not sure whether I liked this movie or not. Some parts were funny, some were suspenseful, some were weird and other parts were just plain boring. One thing I know I did like were the characters. I found Jude Law's character Dickie to be really interesting. I mean why did he just take this guy in who he didn't even know and how he continued being best friends with him without even knowing who he really is. Also Phillip Seymour Hoffman is great again at what he does best. Really interesting supporting roles. I like him in small roles like this and Magnolia and Boogie Nights, but I can't stand him in entire movies like Flawless. He can annoy me after a while. Matt Damon was obviously good too, but the supporting is what makes the main character and story better. Just at least rent this one for an intersting and twisted story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Magnificent
Review: Here is one of Hoolywood's great motion pictures. It's hard to believe that such intelligence and sensitivity could come out of Hollywood these days. Matt Damon is exceptional, as are the other actors. The photography is splendid, the music gorgeous and authentic. The script should be award-winning. Don't miss this film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Talented Mr. Minghella Does it Again
Review: Patricia Highsmith's classic novel has been filmed once before as "Plein Soleil" but this has to be the definitive version. It engages the viewer from the opening seconds as Matt Damon's title character impersonates a friend with an injured hand to the closing seconds when he...well you'd better see for yourself; I don't want to give away the plot like the otherwise excellent documentary on this DVD does.

The colours are warm and vibrant and beautifully evoke post war Italy, although it is more "La Dolce Vita" than "The Bicycle Thief". The film is populated by beautiful people into which the talented Mr. Ripley appears and tries to join but when that proves to be out of his reach his actions take a darker turn. The style of direction is observational and a viewer may need to see the film more than once to get all the nuances in the plot; but there are few better reasons to buy a DVD than for repeated viewings.

I particularly liked the attention to detail especially the red glasses they drink out of while on the yacht; my parents bought identical ones when they went on holiday in Italy in the early 1960's and I still have two of them. But this attention is not fussy as in Merchant/Ivory productions and draws the viewer in to the film rather than distracts from it.

All the perfomances are superb but special credit is due to Jack Davenport as Peter; quite a change from the homophobic Miles he plaved in television's "This Life".

This is a great film in a feature packed DVD that belongs in any serious film lovers collection.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Do we really care?
Review: I can not imagine anyone giving that film five stars wholeheartedly and enjoying it from the first till the last minutes. Even the most appreciating reviewers sound as if they are still in the inner dialogue and let us hear only the speech of the film's advocate, leaving the other side's arguments to themselves.

First of all, the characters are miscast. Evidently, Matt Damon is not made from The Leading Man stuff, no way. Watching him for 2 hours is a torture. Matt always looks himself - why he was chosen to play the films hyper-inventive chameleon is a mystery.

As for the pale frail Gwyneth I am tired of seeing her peddling her fake vulnerability and enthusiasm.

All in all, Matt and Gwyneth are not the persons I can or want to care about. And that ranslates to the characters they play.

Jude Law is lean, hadsome and energetic, no depth is required by the role he plays, and in a different ensemble his performance would have looked much more rewarding.

The rest is already voiced by the other reviewers: the actors fail to make the plot look veritable or engaging to the degree that could have made us turn our backs to reality, the pace is slow, the movie drags on, the postcards-of-Italy-came-to-life backgrounds look picturesque but towards the middle of the movie I was wishing for a program that would allow me to erase the annoying "actors" from the forefront and just enjoy the second hour as a National Geographic video.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: .
Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley is a pretty poor film, although it is not uninteresting. I liked certain aspects of Ripley's character; his "talents," if you will, (the ability to forge, to analyze handwriting, to mimic, to effectively and intensively make himself something he isn't.) However, these are merely brushed on and then more or less tossed aside in favor of an ambling, unsuspenseful, and often confusing plotline saturated by homoerotic undertones (and overtones, even), which are also, if interesting, rather ambiguous in nature.

One of the major problems is that, Ripley aside, the characters are all pretty two-dimensional and boring. Maybe "two-dimensional" isn't quite fair -- they have the potential to be very three-dimensional, but, let's just say that none of them are explored to the degree necessary for a feeling of real depth. Also, the casting is highly questionable. Matt Damon manages to pull Ripley off -- barely -- but he just wasn't a genuinely fitting choice for the role. I mean, is there really anything "haunting" about Matt Damon? Come on. I'm sure, if they had dismissed the need for a big name, they could have come up with a much more effective Mr. Ripley.

And Gwyneth Paltrow's character is just ... utterly uninteresting, and of all the characters, the most pointedly lacking in depth. I blame the script and Paltrow herself equally. Jude Law wasn't so bad, and Phillip Seymour Hoffmann makes the most of an underwritten bit role (still, Hoffmann is a wonderful actor who hasn't failed to impress me yet, and a big part of the reason I rented the film to begin with.) Kate Blanchett is just ... there. As is Ripley's new guy-friend towards the end.

The movie drags on for way too long. Odd thing to say, given that so much needed to be better-developed -- it's more a matter of time being spent poorly, than time itself. One of those films where, in every single scene for the last 30 minutes or so, you're saying to yourself: "Is this it? Is that the way it's going to end?" Not in a "I'm in suspense" kind of way -- just in a puzzled curiousity kind of way.

The overall feel of the movie is scattershot. Aspects of the story and of Ripley himself are quite interesting, but they just don't spend enough time or energy exploring these things. The tale rambles and the direction feels broad and amateurish -- I don't care if the guy DID win an oscar.

If you're interested in seeing The Talented Mr. Ripley, give it a rent -- but don't expect to have your hair blown back. The mainstream audience will find it slow and confusing, and the arthouse crowd will be annoyed with the needless gloss, bad casting, and underdeveloped script.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: OK to Occupy Your Time
Review: The movie takes its sweet time in getting to the point. There's lush scenery, but the story falters. Maybe this is because Damon is not that belivable in his role. I would not buy it, but I would rent it for the Italian landscape.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Incredible in most every way, but one...why?
Review: Set in the beauties of the Italian coast, "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a suspenseful drama about lies, murder, deception, and one man's desire to be somebody. Accolades to the videographers, set designers, and individual actors, but no such praise for the plot.

Under the direction of Anthony Minghella, "Mr. Ripley" is one of the most visually stimulating films of this year! Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) is exceptional, as usual, playing the virtual nobody, Tom Ripley. Propelled to the beautiful shores of Italy under false pretenses, Tom must coaxe the tychoon son, Dickie (played by Jude Law) into coming back to America from his seemingly endless vacation at daddy's expense. The plot thickens, however, as Tom weaves himself into Dickie's life and indeed takes on Dickie's character. Ripley quickly finds himself attempting to right one lie after another. My mother always said that lying was bad because once you got started it was hard to remember what was true and what was a lie...Tom is my mothers poster child! Unfortunately, this very issue is overplayed and its effect is lost. Gwyneth Paltrow (Dickie's steady, but not only lady) uses her beauty, wit, and poise to portray the perfect lover/friend/about to be slashed vixen. She quickly sees through Tom's charade and is a threat to his unraveling, but never fear, Tom is extremely talented after all.

The movie moves quickly, enraptures its viewers, but leaves them feeling victimized. Three murders, a dozen lies, and enough turns to capsize any sea worthy craft later, The talented Mr. Ripley misses the mark in overall performance. The film is acted superbly, the scenes are amazing, but the plot leaves a bad taste in your mouth. 3 1/2 stars!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Can<t fall a sleep ? watch this...
Review: If for some reasons you can't seem to be able to fall a sleep, it's really simple watch "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and you'll be a sleep in no time, everyone can see it coming only the cast of this movie seems to be that innocent.... can't believe i've wasted my money on this movie....

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Creepy and Stylish but Ultimately Flawed
Review: "The Talented Mr. Ripley" has a lot going for it... an excellent director, a wonderful cast and a fantastic story. Damon is perfect as the awkward and evil but at the same time loveable Ripley and Jude Law exudes upper-class perfection. However, the movie is very long and easily distractable, and unfortunately ends on a low note.


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