'Ripley' is a highbrow chiller

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By Karen Hershenson
Contra Costa Times
Published: Saturday, December 25, 1999


WATCHING "The Talented Mr. Ripley," I was reminded of Hitchcock — in
the delicious build of suspense, the impeccable '50s style, and the
way it presents Gwyneth Paltrow as a contemporary Grace Kelly, all
cool and sophisticated.

Thrillers are rarely as intelligent and lavish as this, and even at
more than two hours, it never loosens its grip. Dark, sophisticated
and charged with homo-eroticism, its terror is mostly cerebral.

The director and screenwriter is Anthony Minghella, well-positioned
to adapt Patricia Highsmith's novel, having turned "The English
Patient" into an Academy Award-winning movie. With that film, he
proved his narrative flair, and a sensuality ideal for this elegant
but disturbing tale.

Set in a sun-drenched Italian village, it's about envy and deception
among the privileged class, who spend their days lounging on yachts
and sipping wine in cafes. Matt Damon is Tom Ripley, an outsider
allowed entry to this rarefied world, but who never really fits.

Ripley's talent is deception, and when a wealthy shipbuilder mistakes
him for a Princeton classmate of his son, Dickie (Jude Law), he
seizes upon the role like a bulldog. The father wants his playboy
heir brought home, and he sends Ripley, all expenses paid, to get it
done.

It's a radically different part for Damon, whom we're used to seeing
as the hero or leading man. Ripley is neither, a slithering lizard
who insinuates himself into the joyous relationship between Dickie
and his girlfriend, Marge (Paltrow). Through lies and manipulation,
he creates a cozy cocoon of friendship that doesn't really exist.

The talented young actor makes this despicable person just endearing
enough, so that it's understandable why people at first embrace him.
The part calls for a tricky balance between being diabolical and
vulnerable, and Damon handles it well; you see the character
deteriorating before your eyes. Several sexually-charged scenes with
Law are also effective, not at all graphic, but electric nonetheless.

Law is equally good, as the achingly beautiful golden boy, too
carefree to ponder the sinister motives behind Ripley's puppy-dog
devotion. The actor is remarkable in every role — from the
wheelchair-bound cynic in "Gattaca," to the clueless gamer in
"eXistenZ" — and he should get the recognition he deserves.

Minghella knows just what to do with Paltrow, capitalizing on those
aristocratic cheekbones, that exquisite poise. Marge is fun-loving
and trusting as her lover, but she's also a writer with keen
intuition, who begins to sense there's something odd about the ever-
present Mr. Ripley.

Cate Blanchett portrays another, less astute, high-born American, who
sniffs husband potential in this newcomer. Philip Seymour Hoffman,
impressive as the drag queen in "Flawless," nails it once more as
Dickie's jaded friend Freddie, who immediately realizes Ripley is a
loser.

The impetuous Dickie soon tires of his new friend, especially when
there are hints of a sexual attraction. Once he tells Ripley to leave,
the story intensifies, as this twisted wannabe discovers the lengths
he'll go to hang onto this new lifestyle.

The movie probes class differences in illustrating how Ripley was not
"to the manor born." He may wear the clothes and mimic the gestures,
but he will never have the innate confidence that comes from blue-
blood breeding. It will be his undoing.

Minghella cranks up the violence against a breathtaking backdrop, with
terraced gardens and a sapphire-blue sea. As in Hitchcock's films, the
score augments the storytelling, with jazz the theme for Dickie's
restless soul, while classical defines the more rigid Ripley. In one
scene, though, he goes on stage, and Damon does a tender rendition of
"My Funny Valentine." Kudos to composer Gabriel Yared, who won an
Oscar for his work on "The English Patient."

It's a potent package, and having already been recognized by critics'
groups, expect to see "Ripley" in the running come Oscar-time.