The Talented Mr Ripley

The Talented Mr Ripley 1999

• Director: Anthony Mighella
• Seen by this director: Breaking and Entering, Cold Mountain, The English Patient
• Based on the book by Patricia Highsmith
• Cast: Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Cate Blanchet, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jack Davenport
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Matt Damon – Suburbicon, The Martian, Interstellar, Elysium, Contagion, True Grit, Invictus, The Informant, The Brothers Grimm, The Bourne Identity, Dogma, Saving Private Ryan, Good Will Hunting
• Gwyneth Paltrow – many, including Shakespeare in Love
• Jude Law – many.
• Cate Blanchett – many.
• Philip Seymour Hoffman – many.
• Peter Davenport – A United Kingdom, The Boat that Rocked, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Libertine
• Why? Recommended by my friend JS.
• Seen: 14 February 2024 

       It’s possible I’ve read this book. I know I’ve read something by Highsmith but I didn’t like it so I didn’t read any more. And I’m sceptical of this film but I like Jude Law and I usually agree with JS on films.

       The trouble is, I don’t much like Matt Damon. And there is evidently a reason why I didn’t like the book. The story does not appeal to me. Tom Ripley (Damon) is a poor nobody who weasels his way into the company of rich wastrel Dickie (Law) and his gang.

       This is another film that everybody in the world loves but me. Spoilt rich people and social climbers/scramblers just don’t interest me. I don’t find Tom Ripley charming, I don’t hope he succeeds. He doesn’t ‘wheedle his way into my sympathies’ no matter what my beloved Guardian says. Maybe a different actor would have been better but I doubt it. It’s just boring. And when it’s not boring, it’s unpleasant. Sorry, JS. 

2* of 5