1950s Italy in summer splendor. Young, rich and unrepentant seducer in blue waters and idyllic landscapes: this is the dolce vita led by Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), alongside Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow). Rather irritated by his irresponsible conduct, Herbert Greenleaf tasks Tom Ripley, the main character played by Matt Damon, with convincing his son to bring him back to the United States. As his relationship with Dickie progresses, this penniless young American finds a life he is envious of. But no one suspects what he will be capable of to make himself appreciated.
A masterful adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s book
Forty years after René Clément’s film adaptation (full sun, 1960) of the eponymous book by Patricia Highsmith, director Anthony Minghella brought to the screen a trio of talented actors: Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. The atmosphere and the tension between the characters are phenomenal, as is the unsaid and the expression of the implicit hierarchies between them. If the interpretation of Matt Damon in the first role is unforgettable, that of Jude Law made him win, in 2000, the British Academy Film Award in the category best actor in a supporting role.
Everything from the 1950s Bay of Naples setting to the jazz music, costumes and characters contribute to the suspense of the first half of the film. The script has a Hitchcockian edge to it, with enough twists and turns to keep the audience hooked. A fascinating journey into the darkness in the company of one of cinema’s most disturbing characters. And an ingenious thriller that deals with the desperate loneliness of playing dual roles.