The Talented Mr. Ripley

Starring: Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Baker Hall

I admire Minghella, I really do. I truly liked "The English Patient" (though I think I liked the "Seinfeld" episode which poked fun at the reverence people display towards that film better), but I am a bit puzzled by this film. I am not quite sure what drew Minghella to the material; perhaps Patricia Highsmith's book resonated with him (full disclosure: I have never read it). From what I understand, Ripley's character in the book is a true sociopath, but here Minghella changes him into a conflicted soul grappling with his sexuality. I do not think the change is good. The actors are uniformly fine. Damon is sallow and wan and probably plays the part as well as anyone could; the problem is how the character is envisioned and how Damon is directed. Jude Law exudes star power and charisma; in fact, another critic made the observation that the two leads should have been reversed, with Damon playing the callow expatriate and Law playing the sociopath (sociopaths can have that kind charm--it's what enables them to be sociopaths), and that's probably not a bad idea. Blanchett and Paltrow do OK with their rather thin roles (another missed opportunity by Minghella). Hoffman's role is small, but quite memorable. The picture is a joy to look at, with spectacular scenery, and beautifully shot and photographed (well, except for some of the queasy flashback scenes). It is generally entertaining to watch, but in the end, falls short as a meditation on the nature of evil. I do give Minghella credit for the ending; he didn't chicken out, and that's more than you can say for a lot of directors these days. (2/5/00)