BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Fluentiama Perfect cast and a good story

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Radish4ever I watched this film having never seen any of the Ripley films or read any of the books, from a recommendation from a friend. From the first scene to the last I was riveted to the movie. Basically Tom Ripley (played superbly by John Malkovich) is a sociopath, a charming evil man without a conscience who can con, steal, murder and manipulate his way through life with ease for his own personal gain. During the process he has gone from nothing to being extremely wealthy and living in a mansion in a lush Venetian villa in Italy. He decides to play a deadly game with a neighbour. Jonathon Trevany, who insults him at a party. He finds out Jonathan has a few months to live as he has a terminal illness and arranges for him to do a assassination for a ex-business associate Reeves (Ray Winston) for a large amount of money that will set his family up for life. After manipulating events, it becomes clear that Reeves wants revenge on Ripley and blows the situation bigger. After murdering the target successfully and thinking that is it, Reeves wants Jonathan to kill the victims Russian co-workers using a garrote to strangle them. Completely out of hand and in an impossible situation. At the beginning of the movie we see Ripley rip off virtually everyone in a business deal involving forged artwork, in which Reeves had set up the deal in the first place, so we know why this is more than it seems. Ripley becomes friends with Jonathan in the meantime and appears to find a conscience and intervenes to sort out the huge situation he originally helped create. Jonathon is, after all an innocent picture framer who is totally out of his depth. Needless to say murder and mayhem follow once out main man comes onto the scene. All in a days work for Tom Ripley.The Film is fantastic, always moving at a fast pace and the cast of Winston, Malkovich and Dougray Scott all seem to enjoy their roles. There are several other Ripley films, Ripley underground was made after Ripley's Game in 2005 and is unreleased in the UK but available in some countries. Earlier Ripley films are Plein soleil (1960 France), American Friend (Made in 1977 and is actually from the book Ripley's game, an earlier version with Dennis Hopper as Tom Ripley) & the talented Mr Ripley (1999) Recommended 9 out of 10.

leftbreak I was a bit stunned by just how much *better* this movie was than the previous Matt Damon movie. This one held me in suspense throughout. And Malkovich pretty much owned the role. He played such a great, icey- stared killer throughout.I had just gotten through seeing another couple of fine movies--well, one was a series, the 'The Bridge', and the other was the original version of 'The Killing', both such great flicks that I was looking for another 'crime' series, and somehow reminded myself of 'Ripley's Game,' and wondered how come it never seems to make any of these 'lists.'Without doing the spoiler, I can just say that this one has it all, from Ray Winstone, playing an old crimey pal from Ripley's 'bad old days,' to Russian Mobsters being all violent and mercieless, to the 'good guy' and neighbor who ticked Ripley off, but who he came to befriend....luckily for the neighbor.Ripley is throughout a very competent man, completely in control, while the neighbor just sort of stumbles through his tasks until Ripley, well, I can't say more, but even watching this for the 3rd or 4th time, I put this movie up there with a couple of my other American favorites: 'The Departed', and 'Heat.'So if you like those two, and want a movie that you might have missed....well, see 'Ripley's Game' with John Malkovich and Ray Winstone, and you'll be glad you did!

Eumenides_0 I've never followed Liliana Cavani's career with attention. The Night Porter had shown that she knew how to make a movie efficiently. And Patricia Highsmith's name left me confident that the plot would be full of twists, witty dialogue, and suspense; plus, this is a Tom Ripley movie, one of the greatest villains in fiction.This version of the Ripley series was practically unknown to me. I only knew IMDb had given it some very poor ratings. And I love Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley so much, I doubted Cavani's movie could rival it. Well, rival it does, and sometimes it even surpasses it.One of the most interesting things about the Ripley movies is that no actor ever played him twice. This time the excellent John Malkovich takes the role of the amoral, sophisticated dilettante murderer, as he tries to set up a comfortable life in Italy, surrounded by good art and cuisine. A visit from an old business partner shatters his idyllic life as Ripley enters a mind game to turn an innocent man into a hit-man. From here on it's a thrilling journey for Ripley to regain control of his good life through manipulation, intelligence and the occasional murder.Cavani's movie owes little to Minghella's: the pacing here is faster, the dialogue is more back-and-forth, like a machine gun. Whereas Minghella revelled in pretty, but sometimes pointless shots, Cavani focus on the plot, integrating the beautiful cinematography into the action. Matt Damon's Ripley is mostly a passive man, seldom without control of the situation; Malkovich's Ripley is ready for anything. The dialogue in both movies is beautiful, but here Ripley has a wonderful sense of dark humor, making jokes in the grimmest situations.And the suspense is unforgettable. There are many good thrills throughout the movie. But nothing beats a sequence aboard a moving train. The climax of the movie is also tense, showing how Ripley can keep himself cool in the worst of times.This is a pretty perfect movie for what it is: it's a lovely combination of intelligent dialogue (credit is due to Charles McKeown, who co-wrote the script), good characterisation, suspenseful plotting, subdued music (by the master Ennio Morricone), and beautiful cinematography. It was a nice surprise and well worth seeing.

artisticengineer The talented Mr. Ripley is in retirement in Europre; his last job that he carried out before retirement is shown early in the movie when the very elegant, suave, etc. Mr. Ripley turns and commits a very foul crime that shows his inner ruthlessness. The purpose of this scene is to introduce his cohort in crime as well as remind the viewer what sort of man Mr. Ripley is and the people he deals with.Years past and Ripley is seemingly absorbed into proper society; though there are rumors about his past. Nonetheless life seems to be going well for Mr. Ripley; living in a fashionable Italian villa as well as being in love with a world class musician. Then, his former associate in crime arrives unexpectedly at the villa. As unwelcome as this associate is Ripley does not throw him out immediately; that would be too rude even in private life. The visit is, unfortunately, not a personal one. Rather, it is business. The associate has some problems in Berlin with the new Russian crime bosses. He needs to find somebody who will take out one of these bottom dwellers. Does Ripley know a good hit man for the job? Ripley mulls it over and determines that the best hit man for a job like this would be somebody who has never done this sort of stuff before. Can an innocent man be persuaded to do this? This is not an easy question in the movies or in real life. In any civilized society murder is condemned harshly. Even if the victim of a murder is a low life him/herself the crime is treated as murder. Are there any circumstances where killing is allowed? Yes, there are some killings allowed such as on a battlefield during war. But, that is state sanctioned. Shooting somebody in a mob type killing is hardly allowed- or is it?? Can it be justified? But, even if a "suitable" victim is found does that give anybody the right to shoot them?? And, even if the person is deemed "suitable" for elimination by some standard- will the killing end with this individual or will there be retaliation? And, if there is, who can one call for help?? Does the end justify the means? This movie asks the question of whether a non-criminal can be induced to commit murder. It also asks other questions; some of them quite disturbing to even contemplate. In a way it is a continuation of movies that go back to "The Man who Shot Liberty Valence"; movies that question what ordinary people can do in extraordinary circumstances.Realistically I doubt that a man such as Tom Ripley even exists. He seems as improbable as James Bond. Yet, James Bond was (supposedly) modeled on some real life individuals. Such a man as Tom Ripley may actually be out there. If so, he (or they) will probably resemble the character John Malkovich portrays. It is a very good portrayal of a very complex person.