Word: ripleyisms
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...really want you to see the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley. Even though I still haven't decided how I feel about the embellishments concocted by writer-director Anthony Minghella to update this compelling tale of 1950's class envy and blossoming psychosis. The outlines of the story are the same in both versions: Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a poor, smart chameleon, comes to Italy under false pretenses and insinuates himself into the wealthy life of prodigal Dickie "Ouch!" Greenleaf (Jude Law). Dickie's not always as naughty as the name suggests, but sometimes he's far worse. Jude...
...comes across as a little bit perfect, and a little bit vile. You can see why Tom gets all hot around the collar for Dickie's lifestyle, even if it comes with Gwyneth Paltrow as an accessory too sweetie-pie elegant for its own good. Of course, Mr. Ripley doesn't last too long as Dickie's new toy. Tensions arise from all sides. Tom lacks that preppie Princetonian je ne sais quoi, and he feels, well, a little too hot around the collar about Dickie for his own good, especially after Dickie gets bored and moves on to fresher...
...Ripley is more stubborn than he seems, especially when he realizes that he's suddenly living the life he always wanted. Highsmith's book keeps the audience engaged just by introducing clearheaded, elegant Tom Ripley. He's fascinating because we know what he's capable of, which is just about anything. He's like Hannibal Lecter minus all that nonsense about fava beans and a nice chianti. But the movie takes the story in an entirely different direction simply by a shift of emphasis. Where Highsmith's 1950's novel barely dares to hint at any latent homoeroticism, the movie...
...choice to portray Tom Ripley as a gay man is risky, and not only for Matt Damon's career. As a man capable of murder on a bad day (don't worry, I'm not really giving anything away), a gay Thomas Ripley might become some terrible variation on the mythic self-hating homosexual serial killed--a queasy Andrew Cunanan done up in old-fashioned clothes. But the change actually produces all kinds of new tensions that deepen the emotional weight of the story. Tom's confused sexuality is just another expression of his place outside the privileged world...
...Anthony Minghella weren't such a smart writer and director, the changed emphasis might have obscured the icy brilliance of Tom's amoral talents. But Minghella knows a good story when he sees one--his last triumph was the sweeping, stony The English Patient-- and he treats Tom Ripley's tale like David Lean on an epic bender. The thriller story becomes woven into a gorgeous, glorious travelogue through the high points of Italian sightseeing, circa 1957. And, I'll admit, I'm a sucker for a pretty shot of Roman sunlight...