The Talented Mr. Ripley

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:30am

So I just saw this movie for the first time...and I'm in love with it. It was so creepy but SO good! This has to be the ONLY movie that I enjoyed Jude Law's performance. I can't believe I just said that, but it's true. I actually enjoyed a performance by Jude Law.

Matt Damon was SO good...and Gwenyth Paltrow...and who was the one who played Peter? He was also in Pirates of the Caribbean, yes? He was great too.

Any other fans?

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:32am

Excellent movie.

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:47am

count me in as a fan.
got this on dvd when dvds weren't cheap.
but i just had to have it.
usually watch this in a double bill with "a perfect murder" or "hush". . .

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:54am

A fantastic, tense and haunting movie. It's also gorgeously shot, with the camera making love to the piazzas and villas of Italy. What drew me into the movie was that, even though Tom Ripley's becomes a cold-blooded murderer, you can't help but feel a great deal of sympathy for him. I was almost cheering him on as he kills Dickie and Freddie (let's face it, we weren't sorry to see them kick the can). The real tragedy is that, in the end, he's forced to kill Peter, the one person who made him truly happy. Once the ball of murder gets rolling, it can't be stopped.

It's interesting how the marketing of the film tip-toed around the film's homoeroticism, because it's quite apparent and important that Ripley is a homosexual. This was probably Matt Damon's best performance: it's more nuanced and complex than GOOD WILL HUNTING. There are chilling moments in the movie when you can actually track what's going on inside Ripley's head. Cate Blanchett is divine as usual, and Gwyneth Paltrow....she gives an adequate performance, but hers wasn't a particularly difficult role.

Jude Law is also very good in GATTACA, another fine film.

Updated On: 8/29/05 at 12:54 AM

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:57am

Jack Davenport played Peter. And I agree with anyone who feels Ms. Paltrow is adequate.
Updated On: 8/29/05 at 12:57 AM

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:58am

You're right, I hated how he felt the need to kill the one person he truly, truly cared about. That really got to me. As for his homosexuality? At first I thought he was just obsessed with Dickie's life...all the grandoise freedom and riches of it all...I guess it was part of it as he was proven to be a homosexual.

I heard Jude was good in GATTACA...that's the only movie of his I haven't seen....

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:08am

p.s. Chita--- Jack Davenport..I'll remember that, thanks!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:14am

SallyBrown, you MUST see GATTACA! I think it's one of the most important films of the last decade, as it's a disturbingly plausible portrait of the future, a BRAVE NEW WORLD-esque take on how genetic engineering can influence the future of our world. It's written and directed by Andrew Niccol, who also wrote THE TRUMAN SHOW. Both films are similar in that they're speculative science-fiction; yet they're also highly inspirational and moving, because they show how the human spirit can triumph over the technologies that threaten to bound it.

At first I thought he was just obsessed with Dickie's life...all the grandoise freedom and riches of it all...I guess it was part of it as he was proven to be a homosexual.

I've seen THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY with several people who didn't pick up on the homoeroticism at all, or at least they weren't sure about it. But it's definitely there: director Anthony Minghella leaves more than a few clues that allude to Tom's sexuality. Most obvious is the scene where Tom, stealing glances at a naked Dickie, offers to jump into the bathtub with him. But there are subtler moments, too; the intercutting of POVs when Tom meets Peter for the first time at the Opera suggests that there's something going on between them. And, of course, they have a moment at the piano in Peter's home.

I didn't like how Tom killed Peter also. I understand that the moral of the story demands it, but Tom is smarter than that. How is he going to dispose of the body, and wouldn't it make more sense for him to convince Peter to stay in the cabin for the entirety of the voyage instead? Surely people will realize that something's amiss when Peter doesn't show up to conduct that concert of his in Athens.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:15am

I saw this film when it was first released around six years ago. Haven't seen it since, but I do remember really enjoying it at the time.

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:39am

GATTACA has Halle Barry also right? Totally seeing it, sounds great.


I think the part where I thought he was more envious of Dickie than gay was when he breathed in his coat on the train..of course that was after the bathtub scene..which definately shows homosexuality there.

I like to think that Peter, who was obviously in love with Tom, would have stayed with Tom, helped him through whatever mental illness he suffered from. Because really, he must have add some problems..seeing as how he murdered twice and attempted a third time. I guess it's far fetched to expect that anyone in love would stay with a murderer..but hey..you never know. And we never will...I hated that he killed him!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:41am

any movie that features both Matt Damon and Jude Law's ass is worth a look...

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:43am

Am I the only one who laughed hysterically when Matt's towel fell off when he was talking to Gwenyth? It was an emotional scene..but it struck me as funny...just that part..

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:45am

I wasn't laughing. I was pushing rewind...

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:58am

Matt Damon's ass shot is more generous in SCHOOL TIES.

GATTACA doesn't have Halle Berry, it has Uma Thurman, who gives another fantastic performance as Ethan Hawke's icy love interest (incidently, she's also the best Fantine I've seen in any LES MIZ dramatization).

[Jon]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 2:11am

Here's a subtle bit that only jazz lovers would catch: When Ripley sings "My Funny Valentine" at the nightclub (yes, it really is Matt Damon singing) he is doing a PERFECT imitation of a famous recording of the song by legendary jazz trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker. It's significant that Ripley cannot just be himself - he has to imitate someone else.

[Popular]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 2:52am

I found the movie a little disturbing for my taste but my favorite part was when they are at the karaoke bar, I think that's the moment I fell in lust with Jude's fineness....but of course his real life indiscretions killed it. MEN! Ugh

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 7:31am

GATTACA was a really good film... ages since i've seen it. The talented mr ripley is a classic now... so clever and i love the bit when he's on the boat saying about his crimes covertly and you know he's gonna kill that poor bloke... tension!

Posted: 8/29/05 at 7:32am

A Great - Great Film and someone would say relevant to this site in one way or another!

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 8:34am

Oooh Uma Thurman..my bad. Yes I'll be sure to see it.

That really was Matt Damon singing? Woah..was that really Jude Law before too?

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 9:18am

oooh...fantastic movie.... Matt Damon and Jude Law had incredible performances, and they're not too bad to look at either

[RobbO]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 9:20am

great soundtrack too.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:11am

I want to use Matt Damon's nose as a coat hook.

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:13am

I really can't put into words the emotion this news stirs in me.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:40am

Give it a try, Voiceanth. You'll come up with something.

[Magicfingers2]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 11:22am

Why does eveyone pick on voiceanth?, you are a bully Dollypop!