Review of The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) by Sindri — 18 Feb 2011

A delight for eyes, ears and mind - It's late in the 1950s. Jazz is popular and Tom Ripley travels to Italia for the first time to discover the world.

Loner Tom Ripley joyfully accepts a generous offer from shipping pioneer Herbert Greenleaf. All he has to do is travel to Mongibello, south of Naples and convince his son Dickie to return home to New York. When Ripley meets Dickie and his girlfriend, he is attracted by the vital womanizer and the carefree life he lives. All goes well until Ripley's attraction towards Dickie turns to jealousy and he realizes that he is not willing to give up his new world.

Minghella's story invites us into the inner and emotional life of protagonist Tom Ripley who on the outside appears as a humble, intelligent, socially well-adjusted and credible person. His inner fragility reveals it self in his interaction with the rich man's son Dickie, whose personality contrasts Ripley as warmth contrasts cold. Ripley's esteem blossoms in Dickie's company, but dazzled with Dickie's dazzling being he is misled to believe that Dickie's friendship is sincere and unfortunately it takes him to long to realize that his new friend considers him pastime. After the movies point-of-no-return Ripley's darker sides rises to the surface. The overeducated working class boy turns into a man of the world and at this point the character development takes a shocking turn and Minghella draws us further and further into Ripley's psyche.

Minghella's knife sharp and plot rich screenplay, based on Patricia Highsmith's novel from 1955, is told with chronological narrative, voice-over and flashback scenes. Topics such as solitude, alienation, upper class life, envy, infatuation, homosexuality, identity and class distinction are explored in this flawlessly photographed in-depth character study which contains brilliant editing that alternates between long and short takes.

The films nerve rests on Ripley's character, who has to overcome obstacle by obstacle to maintain his newly acquired status. This is effectuated by the strong progress Minghella creates through a story that never seizes to amaze. John Seal's earlier mentioned photography makes Italia look like a mystic adventure-land and enhances the films considerate mood. The stylized and realistic milieu depictions prompts the feeling of the zeitgeist, white the cinematography and music strengthens the romantic and ominous moods.

When it comes to the acting, the whole crew is magnificent. Matt Damon's transformation to the nerdy and unpredictable main-character is impressive and his interpretation of this complex character is undoubtedly one of his finest. Jude Law should also be mentioned for the breakthrough role that made him one of the worlds largest movie-stars. With charismatic charm, arrogant attitude and an inspiring hunger for life, he perfectly embodies the character Dickie Greenleaf. Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow and Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers substantial supporting performances and as Jude Law, they became huge movie-stars few years later.