THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/movies/titles/talented_mr_ripley/click.php?review=44

Review by Tony Toscano
KUTV 2 CBS
c 1999 Tony Toscano


Starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law. A cinematic study
of a man who assumes another's identity to live his lifestyle.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is basically a physiological thriller that
puts us into the mind of a true human chameleon. Tom Ripley (Damon)
displays keen skills of imitation and impersonation early on in the
film and we are allowed to watch his mind work as he studies
ferociously for each part he must play. For the audience, he weaves
a kind of hypnotic web of deceit in which he may or may not get
completely ensnared.

Tom Ripley longs for the rich and lavish lifestyle of the people he
tunes pianos for. He sets himself up to go to Italy to talk Dickie
Greenleaf (Law), the son of a wealthy shipping tycoon, into coming
home. When Tom sees Dickie and the Bohemian lifestyle he is living,
and all on his father's generous allowance, he puts his plan into
action to first befriend Dickie and then to take over his identity.
Along with Dickie, Tom must endear himself to his girlfriend Marge
(Paltrow).

Director, Anthony Minghella's superb pacing moves like a chess game
throughout the film, giving the film a familiar Hitchcockian feel
to it. The beautiful Italian interior and exterior locations are
offset by the dark story that is being played in front of them.
Minghella uses this stark contrast repeatedly throughout the film.

In one all-telling scene when Dickie asks Tom "What are you good
at?" Tom simply says "Forging signatures, telling lies and
impersonating people." There is no boundary that Tom will not cross
to achieve his goal. The characters all are masterfully manipulated
by Ripley who discards his pawns when they no longer serve his
purpose.

Matt Damon certainly should be a considered for an Oscar nomination
for his performance as Tom Ripley. He is the perfect con man with
his boyish good looks, well-mannered posture and a smile that can
give you a suntan. Yet, when his "inner malevolence" surfaces as
things change, Damon doesn't disappoint.

Jude Law as Dickie is Damon's perfect counter balance with his
aristocratic behavior. Law makes Dickie the likeable rogue with a
bit of a mean streak and pensive angst with the air of "old money"
about him, making his character a believable mark for the
opportunistic Mr. Ripley.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is well worth seeing and well worth the
ticket price.