The Talented Mr. Ripley ★★½ 1999 (R) Beautiful but ultimately hollow adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's chiller, which was previously filmed as 1960's "Purple Noon." This time around Damon takes on the title role as a poor nobody who is sent to Italy in 1958 to persuade rich playboy, Dickie Greenleaf (Law), to return to the bosom of his family in New York. Only the more the emotionally needy Ripley sees of Dickie's sybaritic lifestyle—the more he wants it for himself, even if it means killing Dickie and literally assuming his identity. Law is the draw and the movie suffers a letdown after his death. 139m/C VHS, DVD, Wide. Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jack Davenport, James Rebhorn, Sergio Rubini, Philip Baker Hall, Lisa Eichhorn, Stefania Rocca;
Director:
Anthony Minghella;
Writer:
Anthony Minghella;
Writer:
John Seale;
Cameo:
Gabriel Yared. British Acad. '99: Support. Actor (Law); Natl. Bd. of Review '99: Director (Minghella), Support. Actor (Hoffman).
