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Overall Rating
  Awesome: 38.21%
Worth A Look: 32.55%
Just Average: 11.79%
Pretty Crappy: 7.08%
Sucks: 10.38%
12 reviews, 140 user ratings
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Talented Mr. Ripley, The |
by Ophelia13
"Extraordinary fellow..."

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The Talented Mr. Ripley is a beautiful film, but one would not expect less from the direction of Anthony Minghella. It is also a stirring, creepy film, and one of the best of 1999.Matt Damon is Tom Ripley, a piano tuner who just happens to fill in for a buddy at a country club function. Borrowing that friends jacket leads the rich Mr. Greenleaf to believe that Tom is a princeton alum, class of 1956. Mr. Greenleaf's son Dickie was too, and the debutante quickly assumes that the two knew each other. He then asks Tom to go to Europe and try to persuade Dickie to come home and leave the beaches and easy life he has there. Mr. Greenleaf offers $1,000 for this service. Tom agrees, and proceeds to ingratiate himself into the lives of Dickie and his fiance Marge. The real suspense comes and goes, but a certain terseness is always present as the story develops into a long, winding road of confusion. Not too long, at just under two and a half hours, and not too confusing. The question isn't what is happening, but why- and that question is answered completely by the closing credits. That doesn't mean you will like it. Matt Damon becomes Tom Ripley, in a way you wouldn't expect. He's always seemed so good, so perfect, and here we have him stretching that almost to the breaking point. This trustworthy face we see may hold something sinister, and you won't doubt Damon's range after this. Jude Law is similarly fantastic as Dickie, going from near adoration to total repulsion in a matter of minutes. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Marge subtly and in a very complex light, but the greatest performance here is probably Philip Seymour Hoffman. His position in the film is profound, not really seeming to have a purpose, but his presence is accepted, even desired. My complaints about 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' are few and far between. It did seem a little long in places, but this is my biggest problem with it, and that can't be bad.A subtle picture, but I didn't have to worry about not understanding the plot thanks to the elderly couple seated right behind me. Their running commentary provided me with such insights as, "Look! There he is again." I'm glad I had their help.
link directly to this review at https://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=3426&reviewer=130 originally posted: 01/01/00 23:08:07
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USA 24-Dec-1999 (R) DVD: 21-May-2002
UK N/A
Australia 24-Feb-2000
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