"The Talented Mr. Ripley" on DVD

The American Patient

Matt Damon is Tom Ripley, a young man with a talent for forgery and for living vicariously through other people.

While filling in as a piano player, he meets a wealthy shipbuilder who, mistakenly thinking Ripley was a college buddy of his son, hires him to convince his son to return to the USA from his extended “vacation” in Italy.

Ripley, in order to get the free trip plus expenses, goes. Once in Italy he meets up with Dickie (Jude Law) and his girlfriend (Gwyneth Paltrow) and wriggles his way into their lives. He hangs out with them, even living with them and wearing Dickie’s clothes; in fact, he almost becomes the “brother Dickie never had.”

Then, when Dickie’s dad gets fed up with Ripley’s lack of action at getting Dickie to come home and releases him from their agreement, Dickie also cuts himself off from Ripley.

What’s a self respecting wannabe to do?

Opportunity presents itself at the perfect time for Ripley, as do the perfect circumstances, and then the excitement begins.

To say any more would spoil the movie for you, so we won’t.

Unfortunately, believe it or not, we didn’t really care for Miramax/Paramount's “Mr. Ripley.” Oh, the performances are fine (Damon is very believable and Paltrow is positively radiant), the Italian locations are beautiful, and the music is wonderful – and the audio quality is superb. Unfortunately, the story leaves a lot to be desired.

Mr. Ripley is a likeable enough guy, but that likeability masks a very dark side you don’t like much at all. Likewise, Dickie is a spoiled brat rich kid for whom it’s hard to feel any sympathy. Paltrow’s character is likeable, but she – and the other women who are in Dickie’s circle – are merely victims.

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a much better DVD than it is a movie. The same could be said for the last Anthony Minghella movie we reviewed: "The English Patient." It was lush and looked and sounded great, but left us cold as far as actually enjoying the movie.

As mentioned, the audio quality, which is mixed in Dolby Digital 5.1, is superb and, in a movie in which music plays such a prominent part, this is very welcome. The anamorphic widescreen (enhanced for 16x9 TV’s) is also terrific.

Extras include interviews with the major cast and crew members, a “making of” featurette, and another “making of” featurette that concentrates on the film’s terrific soundtrack. There’s also a running commentary from director/screenwriter Anthony Minghella, a couple of theatrical trailers, and two music videos.

The Talented Mr. Ripley, from Paramount Home Video
138 minutes, Widescreen (2.35:1), Dolby Digital
Starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law
Produced by William Horberg, Tom Sternberg
Written and Directed by Anthony Minghella

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