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Ripley is hands down the best neo-noir series I've ever seen. Andrew Scott is the lead character, with associate roles for Dakota Fanning and Johnny Flynn. There is also a stand out performance by Maurizio Lombardi as a police inspector. Scott previously played Prof. Moriarty in the Sherlock series with Benedict Cumberbach and Martin Freeman. Scott can present as “creepy” very well, and his performance is a tour de force.
A petty con man, Tom Ripley, is hired by a wealthy man to convince his son to return home after he fled to Italy awhile back to paint and write. Ripley, impressed by the man’s generous remuneration, accepts the job and travels to Italy. He locates the son and the son’s mistress. Their interaction and what plays out is the basis of the story.
Written/directed by Steven Zaillian, based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, the story, direction, and acting are all remarkable. But what stands out beneath the captivating tale is the exceptional chiaroscuro cinematography by Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood). Every single scene is framed as a museum qulitly photograph. The movie is in glorious black & white, so Elswit's cinematography completely underpins the story and mood. And the mood is a dark cat and mouse game, with plenty of Hitchcockian set ups, along with a few rare bits of black comedy.
|Highsmith’s novel has been filmed several times before. John Malkovich starred in Highsmith’s Ripley’s Game (2002), and he has several cameo appearances here.
Doc’s rating: 10/10
