• Anthony Minghella parlayed the artistic and financial success of 1996 The English Patient into this large-canvas, picturesque revenge thriller
  • A meditation of infatuation and envy
  • To me this is sacred text- Patricia Highsmith’s work. Ripley is such an all-time great character. He’s intelligent- a sociopath. It is hard not to bring about comparisons of another Highsmith novel adaptation – Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train (1951) and the previous adaptation of this particular novel, 1960’s Purple Noon from René Clément
  • The opening credit sequence is very inspired- piano keys and fracturing of the images of Matt Damon’s Tom Ripley

another reason to recall Hitchcock- few auteurs before or since have cared as much about the artistry of the opening titles

  • Wonderful text and subtext the sexual dynamics between Damon’s Ripley and Jude Law’s Dickie Greenleaf—the bath scene, Clark Kent glasses on and off Superman scene, many mirror and reflection scenes of Ripley already visually trying to capture and possess Greenleaf’s identity

Wonderful text and subtext the sexual dynamics between Damon’s Ripley and Jude Law’s Dickie Greenleaf

  • On the train profile/Agnes Varda/Bergman shot. And then the blending of the faces off the reflection in the piano

On the train profile/Agnes Varda/Bergman shot. And then the blending of the faces off the reflection in the piano (below)

visual motif- themes of identity

  • It is a who’s who of young talented actors—I mean the entire ensemble is impeccable. If it weren’t for Tom Cruise in Magnolia I may give Jude Law the best supporting actor award in 1999 for this performance (far stronger than the Purple Noon Dickie Greenleaf). Law leaps off the screen—spellbinding. This may be Damon’s best as well—he’s hauntingly good. Gwyneth Paltrow —sublime and so on to the rest of the cast. PSH—haha. He’s throwing 110 miles per hour in every scene (“how’s the peeping, tommy?”). If you had asked me to pick the actor that would most dominate the 2000’s based on this film I would’ve been wrong and picked Law and Paltrow from this I think – had no idea it would be Damon/Blanchett and PSH with the stronger decade.
  • Many critics lament the loss of Jude Law about an hour into the film (there’s another 80 minutes left). I see that. I just think it turns into a different movie at that point. But it is hard to say it’s as good without him. It has a gangster film Goodfellas-like arc—the rise and romance of Italy/Law/singing/jazz. It’s intoxicating— then violence and aftermath– a fall. The swoon is always going to be better.
  • Quick homage to Fellini La Dolce Vita and 8 ½ with the music as Damon walks up on the beach
  • On-location shooting in Italy here- masterful. Music, clothes (a sartorialist’s dream)- a feast for the senses when you include the score by Gabriel Yared and John Seale (both would work on The English Patient as well—Seale would go on to do Mad Max Fury Road in 2015)

east for the senses when you include the score by Gabriel Yared and John Seale (both would work on The English Patient as well—Seale would go on to do Mad Max Fury Road in 2015)

  • The overhead boat shot after the murder

a standout shot in a film filled with them

  • It is like David Lean directing Hitchcock—closest I can think of is Powell directing Peeping Tom in 1960 a little
  • A wallop of an ending. Minghella brilliantly carries the audio of the Peter character over into the next scene with Damon’s Ripley sitting there alone in a little hall or mirrors gorgeous shot.

A wallop of an ending. Minghella brilliantly carries the audio of the Peter character over into the next scene with Damon’s Ripley sitting there alone in a little hall or mirrors gorgeous shot.

  • A Must-See film