Review of Ripley's Game (2002) by Cory T — 29 Oct 2007

Twice as enjoyable as "The Talented Mr. Ripley", and probably shot for a tenth of the price, this later installment in the Ripley saga can happily dispense with the coming-of-age angst and crank up the mature Ripley's violent menace.

Living a quiet life in a villa near Venice, Ripley is called upon by an old partner to arrange an assassination. After some consideration he proposes a total innocent for the dangerous task - a local picture framer against whom Ripley has a grudge.

Ripley also knows the man is terminally ill and will need money to provide for his wife and son. He looks to be a suitable pawn but, of course, not everything goes as planned . . . John Malkovich brings a chilling and seductive elegance to the role of Ripley which Matt Damon could never provide.

It's essential here, because what's important about this story is Ripley's utter amorality and dangerous vanity, and how both traits lead him into a situation in which his self-conception is ultimately challenged.

The screenplay has just the right mix of psychological sophistication and edge-of-your-seat plotting, and Liliana Cavani's assured (and occasionally bloodthirsty) direction makes the most of it. In the excellent cast, Ray Winstone is particularly memorable as Ripley's violently inept offsider, Reeves.