It’s held up scrumptiously.
He can range froma brilliant golemto asimmering outsidertoa cold-blooded seducer,depending on the creatives involved.
Lined up against the others, it’s remarkably human.
Ripley’s existence has always been a sadistic joke about the power of white male privilegeto skirt serious consequences.
Part of the fun is that Tom is clearly not as much a criminal genius as the other Ripleys.
Highsmith offered this homoerotic element in her books, but Minghella captures it in more classically romantic sepia tones.
Law should have wonBest Supporting Actor Oscarplain and simple.
Ripley isn’t the only sociopath on view.
But Law is far from the only highlight in a cast full of scene-stealers.
Freddie never explains himself.
Hoffman could do most anything as an actor, but he had a particular niche for playing self-respecting jerk-offs.
Freddie might be the most fun version of this he’d ever play.
Image via Paramount Pictures
It’s douchebaggery elevated to a high art.
Minghella makes watching a two-faced con artist find out how far they can take their lie delicious.
ButThe Talented Mr. Ripleycomes as close as possible to doing so, primarily through pity.
Image via Paramount Pictures
But when the errand fails, Ripley takes extreme measures.
The Talented Mr. Ripleycan be watched in the US on Paramount Plus.
Image via Miramax