http://www.atnzone.com/moviezone/reviews/talentedripley.shtml

Jamey Hughton
@N-Zone Magazine. c 1999 All reviews contained above are
copyrighted by it's individual authors and may not be
reproduced without their permission.


"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is an offbeat addition to the Holiday
movie schedule - perhaps the most unlikely contender of the
Christmas season. In his follow-up to "The English Patient",
director Anthony Minghella appears to be channeling Alfred
Hitchcock, as everything is executed with a certain style and
sophistication that seems reminiscent of the late director’s
best work. If he were still alive today, it wouldn’t surprise
me if Mr. Hitchcock would blush at the sight of Minghella’s
latest offering; "The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a finely oiled
suspense machine crammed with a thorough sense of fascination.

The film is based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, which was
previously adapted to the silver screen in 1960 under the name
of "Purple Moon", a film which won critical acclaim for it’s
intricate and unsettling study of an unstable but highly
intelligent sociopath named Tom Ripley. In Minghella’s
version, Matt Damon inherits the icy title role with plenty of
chilling results. Although I haven’t read Highsmith’s novel,
many sources are indicating that the new version of Tom Ripley
is portrayed with far more innocence than the previous one....
shaping the modern Ripley into an unwilling murderer who only
kills as a last resort. This approach opens a wide canvas for
mystery and intrigue, and Damon’s frightening metamorphosis
into the main character is a masterful balance of sinister
charm and brilliant intuition.

Ripley, a curious dreamer and master chameleon, is persuaded
by the wealthy Herbert Greenleaf (James Rebhorn) to travel to
Italy and retrieve his son Dickie (Jude Law) so he can return
home and see the family. Once he arrives at his destination,
Tom is swept away by Dickie’s lifestyle: his dashing fiancee
Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), his friends, his social stature...
It is safe to say Tom is more than slightly intrigued by the
notion of living Dickie’s life for him. And that brings us
to this little snippet of dialogue, spoken by Tom in a moment
of quiet revelation: "I always thought it would be better to
be a fake somebody than a real nobody."

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a rich and unsettling tapestry
of murder and suspense that is neither predictable nor
formulaic - a rarity for the thriller genre, which makes for
a delectable Christmas treat. Minghella’s film is, in terms
of artistic beauty and emotional craft, one the finest films
of the year. Taking a page from Hitchcock classics like
"Psycho" and "North by Northwest", it offers a fascinating
and jarring character study that extends generously to each
of the three leads - with Damon carrying the most demanding
load and delivering superbly. Jude Law ("eXistenZ" and
"Gattaca") also delivers an Award-caliber performance as the
spoiled playboy Dickie Greenleaf, and Paltrow, while not
emitting the vigorous radiance of her performance in
"Shakespeare in Love", proves to a competent piece of the
twisted puzzle. In support, both Philip Seymour Hoffman (as
Dickie’s smug and contemptuous playboy buddy) and Cate
Blanchett (as Tom’s awkward love interest) are solid, but
the former is able to ignite more screen charisma. Philip
Baker Hall has a brief but effective appearance as an
American detective hired to connect the dots of a few
gruesome murders.

The question of Tom’s sexual preferences occasionally hangs
over the proceedings like a dour cloud of smog. There is
much indication of sexual friction between Tom and Dickie
(and afterward another male character), and although they
are sometimes excessive and unnecessary, these details only
help to further establish the nature of Tom’s character. I
may argue that the film is also slightly overlong, but
Minghella finishes on a particularly haunting note. "The
Talented Mr. Ripley" is full of gorgeous locales, effective
imagery and subtle but nerve-jangling suspense. It’s the
definition of a smart man’s thriller, and if Hitch were
around to see it, I’m sure he would be envious.