Wednesday, November 7, 2007

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

another talented piece from director Anthony Minghella. The Talented Mr. Ripley tells the story of sociopath Tom Ripley who gets obsessed with rich boy Dickie Greenleaf's hedonistic life in Italy. He then goes to extreme to snatch Dickie's identity, all the while destroying everyone who gets in his way.

The film is painfully tragic, and made beautiful by the sun drenched Italy. There's an undertone of how fate rules our life in this film. Mr. Ripley is somewhat an opportunist as well as a strategist. He manipulates people likes chess pieces, however, unfortunate things may happen and threatens his dual identity.

The ending is quite unpredictable. Ripley even murders Peter Kingsley despite having inherited the fortune from Mr. Greenleaf and assuming his original identity as Tom Ripley. It is really sad to see such a person ruined by his obsession to possess people, an identity and a life that he has never known.

"Good things about Mr. Ripley? Could take some time. Tom is talented. Tom is tender... Tom is beautiful... Tom is a mystery. Tom is not a nobody. Tom has secrets he doesn't want to tell me, and I wish he would. Tom has nightmares. That's not a good thing. Tom has someone to love him. That is a good thing. Tom is crushing me. Tom is crushing me... Tom, you're crushing me!"

Psychologically thrilling yet an inner reflection of an everyman who has desires for fortune and vanity.

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