When I'm in a quiet mood, I might turn to a movie like this 1999 psychological drama.
"Ripley" has been called a modern Hitchcock movie, and I'm inclined to agree.
The scenery and late 1950s setting are beautiful, and the performances nuanced and delicate. Matt Damon turns in one of his best performances as Ripley, who is a poor schlub, then human leech, and then psychotic, amoral, powerful, charming, mad, chilling and sympathetic all in one role. It's a tribute to his ability that he's able to pull it all off -- the movie would have collapsed without it.
Jude Law brings movie idol looks and a blase attitude to the key role of Dickie, the spoiled American playboy Ripley is sent to Italy to bring home. Ripley slides into a adoration that evolves into a homoerotic obsession with Dickie. When he can't have his love, Ripley wants his life -- he'll become Dickie.
Cate Blanchett and Gwyneth Paltrow aren't given much to do besides be clueless and/or crazy, but they do their best. Any movie is made better by Cate Blanchett's presence.
The ending is sad and unsettling, but this movie does the almost impossible -- it improves upon the original source material.
I read Patricia Highsmith's novel after seeing "Ripley" for the first time, and found it cold, detached and uninvolving -- a case study of the psychopath, about as sympathetic and engaging as a crime scene report. The movie, while never leading you to the point where you *understand* what Ripley does, nonetheless makes him an object of tragedy and pity. More human, and therefore more involving.
I will rarely say this, but skip the book. Watch the movie.
1 comment:
There is something about the plot of the novel version of The Talented Mr. Ripley that I found wanting. The problem is that it has been so long since I have read the novel, I don't remember. I do remember being slightly disappointed by the novel's finale.
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