THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY is a somewhat lurid version of the dark side of the American Dream. Its loner protagonist Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) has a pathological craving to escape his drab poverty and menial work life. He exploits his special talents as a musician and ingratiating con man to penetrate the upper crust, the spoiled leisure class of beautiful young Americans in 1950’s Italy. Then he desperately becomes a serial murderer to stay there.
Tom begins by persuading a shipping magnate he’s an old college pal of his son Dickie (Jude Law), and is dispatched to Europe to reel him back from his wastrel ways. But instead Tom falls for both la dolce vita and Dickie, a dazzling playboy.
After an ugly argument at sea, Dickie dies bloodily. Unrepentant Tom assumes his identity and wealth. Tom keeps the ruse going, juggling varied friends who know him as either “Tom” or “Dickie.” Gwyneth Paltrow, as Dickie’s luminous and obviously endangered fiancée, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, as an obnoxious and suspicious rival, provide strong Hitchcockian moments.
Tom is a smooth, high-I.Q. psycho, a politically incorrect gay villain. His pathetic life is an adult moral quagmire. Our mounting outrage at the apparent success of each new crime is appropriate. You can see why Damon, the cast and director Anthony Minghella (adapting the Patricia Highsmith novel) enjoyed the artistic challenge and the marvelous touristy locales. But two and a half hours with Tom is a bit much for the audience. Suspenseful, well-crafted but frustrating character study; satisfactory for adults.
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