An excellent movie showing the talented Mr. Ripley late in the game. John Malkovich and Ray Winstone are excellent. Ripley is a narcissistic sociopath who has become well-to-do, maybe even wealthy, and he uses money to manipulate a dying man into committing a murder. It's an excellent script with excellent actors. Director Liliani Cavani weaves disparate scenes together, illuminating Ripley's dead, dark heart.
I can't get over how good Malkovich is at showing affectless sociopaths. I recently watched the 1945 version of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with Hurd Hatfield as the titular villain. Hatfield's characterization was affectless also, but his face was just blank. Malkovich manages to project the soulless debauchery "Dorian Gray" was aiming for and failed to show. In one scene, Ripley watches the tormented Jonathon Trevanny (Dougray Scott) come to grips with what he has become; Ripley's issue is whether they'll make their plane. Malkovich manages to be considerate and totally heartless at the same time. It's a very impressive performance with powerful subtlety that few actors can bring off. And Malkovich does it through the whole movie.
"Ripley's Game" is not for everyone because the main character is not likable and has no "character development." He's almost the same when we leave him as when we first see him. At the end Ripley does seem to have some appreciation for Trevanny's moral character while having no appreciation at all for Trevanny's action. If you need to have a hero you can like, "Ripley's Game" is not for you. If you want to see a character study with a superb actor and excellent costars, you may find the movie rewarding.
I can't get over how good Malkovich is at showing affectless sociopaths. I recently watched the 1945 version of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with Hurd Hatfield as the titular villain. Hatfield's characterization was affectless also, but his face was just blank. Malkovich manages to project the soulless debauchery "Dorian Gray" was aiming for and failed to show. In one scene, Ripley watches the tormented Jonathon Trevanny (Dougray Scott) come to grips with what he has become; Ripley's issue is whether they'll make their plane. Malkovich manages to be considerate and totally heartless at the same time. It's a very impressive performance with powerful subtlety that few actors can bring off. And Malkovich does it through the whole movie.
"Ripley's Game" is not for everyone because the main character is not likable and has no "character development." He's almost the same when we leave him as when we first see him. At the end Ripley does seem to have some appreciation for Trevanny's moral character while having no appreciation at all for Trevanny's action. If you need to have a hero you can like, "Ripley's Game" is not for you. If you want to see a character study with a superb actor and excellent costars, you may find the movie rewarding.