When Good Will Hunting Goes Bad a/k/a The Talented Mr. Ripley
This is an enormously pretty movie with little more than that
to recommend it. While I never read the book on which it is
based, I see little to recommend it as a story.
Some spoilers mixed in: Matt Damon plays a character with much
in common to Will Hunting, except that his opportunity to leave
behind his poor origins and acquire the role suited to his mental
abilities is one that takes him on the path of evil, not good. He
therefore accepts a mission to go to Italy and bring back the
spoiled son of an shipping magnate, meets him and ingratiates
himself without any idea of what he is doing other than enjoying
a trip to Europe at the expense of the magnate and the son. We
are then supposed to empathize with this character as he lies,
steals and murders to stay on this rich perch to which he was not
born.
The acting was fine, though not inspired. The scenery, both
human and natural, was excellent. However, this does not make up
for a repellant story. 2 1/2 planets (out of 4).
