Anthony Minghella's last picture ("The English Patient")
did not have the beauty (such is Italy versus the Middle East),
the narrative strength or the strong characterizations of "Ripley."
Hence, while it won best picture, it can comfortably be
catalogued in that big picture-big bore compendium of "Gandhi,"
"The Last Emperor," and "Out of Africa." Add
somnabulate performances by Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott
Thomas and pass the 48 ounce Coke ("For only twenty-five
cents, you get twice as much, sir!") because I'm nodding off.
Not so in Minghella's follow-up. Damon plays, in his own
words, a "nobody" named Tom Ripley who by chance and
minor deception is hired to retrieve the wayward son (Jude Law)
of a shipping magnate (James Rebhorn) in Italy. When he gets
there, Damon insinuates himself into Law's life, as well as the
life of his fiance (Gwyneth Paltrow) through a mix of artifice
and honest friendship. Damon immediately becomes entranced by Law
and by Law's life. His love-affair with both gives us entree into
the mind of a malformed ego undergoing slavish adoration to
something far different than he.
And Law is worthy of adoration. He is the energy of this
picture, alternately charming, impetuous and cruel. As Damon
keeps sidling up to Law, you not only feel for him, but you
understand, because Law is so captivating. This is a crucial
component, for while the sexual undertones are strong, what
Minghella does is make you a partner to Damon's mental, rather
than physical lust for Law (except for Cllrdr), everything he
has, and everything he is. This is the film's triumph, as most
psychological thrillers suffice to center on the madness within
the sociopath, rather than lay a sympathetic base for why the
sociopath becomes sociopathic.
Here, Minghella does just that, with great care, attention to
detail, and expert utilization of Damon and Law. He allows us to
see their courtship, their bad moments, Damon at his most fawning
and pathetic, Law at his most generous and spiteful. All with the
backdrop of beautiful Italy, a locale Minghella makes almost
dreamlike, the better to translate Damon's dizzying descent.
Damon manages the role very well, though he overrelies on a
few tics (the weird, self-effacing grin, the penetrating stare).
Still, his is a measured and affecting performance, certainly a
worthy contrition for his "aw shuckism" of "Saving
Private Ryan." Everyone else is quite good, with special
mention to Philip Seymour Hoffman as Law's monied playboy friend
from Princeton. Like Judi Dench in "Shakespeare in Love,"
his time on screen is limited, but he dominates every moment he
has with a dry, smart rendering.
It cracks my top five for the year.
