★ 7 / 10
With his son off galavanting around Europe, the
CinemaSerf
With his son off galavanting around Europe, the wealthy "Greenleaf" (James Rebhorn) happens upon the eponymous character (Matt Damon) whom he charges with…
With his son off galavanting around Europe, the wealthy "Greenleaf" (James Rebhorn) happens upon the eponymous character (Matt Damon) whom he charges with travelling - first class - to track down "Dickie" (Jude Law) and bring him home. He manages an introduction to his quarry, and his girlfriend "Marge" (Gwyneth Paltrow), on an Italian riviera beach and suggesting they'd both gone to Princeton, manages to inveigle an invitation to lunch. Now "Tom" has done his research here. he knows "Dickie" loves jazz, and so by feigning a recently acquired interest in the music he manages to comprehensively ingratiate himself into their lives. The arrival of their mate "Freddie" (Philip Seymour Hoffmann) manages to unsettle the wealthy man who concludes that he wishes to be rid of his newly acquired parasite. Next thing, well "Dickie" appears to have done his best Greta Garbo "want to be alone" and "Tom" is providing an initial shoulder to cry on for "Marge" before they part company. Now we know what happened, so are not too surprised when we see "Tom" start to live the life he'd always wanted to, he hooks up with "Meredith" (Cate Blanchett) whom he met on the boat over, and a life of fraudulent frolics ensue. As ever, though, one lie is never enough and the reappearance of "Freddie" and a chance meeting with "Marge" at the opera starts to cause problems for "Tom" that only increase when "Greenleaf" arrives wanting to know what the hell is going on... This is one of these characterful mystery dramas that hits the ground running and uses a solid cast to keep the momentum going until a denouement that i felt was just a little too serendipitous but that still works well. Damon is on good form and it's not hard to see why Jude Law made it initially either. Paltrow is underused at the start but does come into her element more as the the plot thickens and by the end there is an enjoyable will he/won't he uncomfortableness about the ending. The photography is classy and stylish illustrating well the scenarios in which these spoilt and malevolent folks find themselves, there's a bit of humour and some cracking jazz to pepper this superior thriller.
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★ 8 / 10
An intricate web of lies that spirals out
Mickerdoo
An intricate web of lies that spirals out of control. Law is easily coveted. Damon is calculated and cunning. Hoffman had to go.
An intricate web of lies that spirals out of control. Law is easily coveted. Damon is calculated and cunning. Hoffman had to go.
★ 8 / 10
The Underrated Mr. Ripley
petra_ste
There are thrillers I enjoy but rarely feel any desire to watch again; however, I find that those lighter on set-pieces but heavier on character interactions…
There are thrillers I enjoy but rarely feel any desire to watch again; however, I find that those lighter on set-pieces but heavier on character interactions and atmosphere have a better replay value for me.
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a perfect example. The movie takes its time in the first act, allowing us to identify with ambitious liar Tom Ripley (Matt Damon in one of his best performances) who yearns for a better life and manages to ingratiate himself with wealthy heir Dickie Greenleaf (an electric Jude Law).
Dickie is enjoying an endless vacation in Italy; Tom starts to tag along. At first the narcissistic Dickie likes the company of this nice young man who obviously idolizes him; however, Tom develops an obsession with Dickie, who decides he is fed up with him...
The movie lets us share Ripley's point of view, entangles us in his web of lies. The bond we develop with him is crucial or the rest of the film, where his deceptions take a darker turn, simply wouldn't work.
Damon and Law are great, well supported by Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jack Davenport. Minghella's direction is elegant, meticulous, crafting moments of great tension.
One of my favorite scenes is the first killing. I don't know whether it comes straight from the novel or was changed for the adaptation, but it's masterful, making use of a clever writing trick: setting a scene where you'd least expect it to take place. We are used to movie murders happening in dark, ominous locations, but this one unfolds in broad daylight on a boat rocking in the middle of a beautiful blue sea: when violence erupts, it's all the more shocking.
As a police investigation starts, Tom relies on his talent for lying and impersonating people, but there is a stark difference from the usual trope of the innocent man dragged into a crime against his will and who is just trying to survive. Tom clearly relishes the wealth and opportunities brought by his deception: he likes this game and is very good at it.
The bookend to the first murder is the ending (MAJOR SPOILERS), with the last killing in a ship's cabin. Once again Tom kills someone he loves, only this time, with cruel irony, the victim actually loves him back and the killing isn't a spur-of-the-moment reaction but deliberate, as Tom finds no other way to cover up his crimes. The Pyrrhic victory of the villanous protagonist, who has managed to fool everyone but is now broken and alone, is one of the most memorable movie endings of recent cinema.
8,5/10
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