THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY = Crackerjack Old-Fashioned Pschological Thriller with Modern Sensibilty
Anthony Minghella's adaptation of mystery maven Patricia Highsmith's novel of the same name is as close as any movie in recent years to superbly bring the written word to life! Essential to this deviously entertaining thriller's success is the wonderful casting of Matt Damon playing the title character; a complex, poor young man who becomes a sociopath in the making after he is hired by a wealthy man to travel to Europe to bring his estranged son ( the wonderful Jude Law in a another terrifically understated performance ) home. Subplots galore all collide marvelously as the twists and turns of an extremely well calibrated story arc climax in the most bizarrely macabre manners. A true must-see for an lover of time-specific thrillers with subversive message. The excellent ensemble cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett and the always watchable Philip Seymour Hoffman in another of his myriad chameleon-like roles! Exquisite photography all throughout!