'Ripley's Game' Review- Tom Ripley Rolls The Dice

This movie was released in 2002.

Ripley’s Game is a thriller film directed by Liliana Cavani who co-wrote the screenplay with Charles McKeown. It is based on the novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith.

Con artist Tom Ripley (John Malkovich) is running an art scam in Europe that finances his lavish lifestyle with his musician wife Luisa Harari (Chiara Caselli). While attending a party, he overhears a picture frame designer Jonathan Trevanny (Dougray Scott) insulting him. When an old acquaintance called Reeves (Ray Winstone) wants to collect a debt by telling Ripley to kill someone, Tom instead suggests Jonathan who is dying of leukemia and needs money. Reeves approaches Jonathan who agrees to do it, telling his wife Sarah (Lena Headey) he is getting experimental treatment. However, Tom begins to feel empathy for Jonathan and wonders if his game has gone too far.

This film is a sort of pseudo-sequel to The Talented Mr. Ripley. Due to rights, it avoids making any references to that movie, but you can certainly tell that it tried to borrow inspiration from it. Highsmith passed away in 1995, so she only saw Purple Moon and The American Friend, the latter of which adapts the 1974 novel Ripley’s Game.

She seemed pleased with both though she had individual criticisms of them. I am curious what she would say about this one. It was definitely a character study on someone as secretly cruel as Tom Ripley.

The cast is superb. While Malkovich is not as debonair as Delon, charming as Damon, or as sleek as Hopper in his role as Ripley, he brings a manipulative focus to the role. He is a tremendous actor and he truly brings about the role. The same is true for Scott and Winstone, who pull you into the plot with ease and keep you hooked. Caselli is also superb as Ripley’s wife, who plays off the character as someone who seems eerily intrigued by her husband’s lifestyle.

Now, the film did lag a bit in a few places. For instance, when Ripley is waiting for enemies to lay siege to his home the waiting is a bit too long. I was also not a fan of the music. It did not fit well with the vibe of the movie. It was not poorly composed, but it just did not match.

That being said, you do feel pulled into this tumultuous world. The art world is not somewhere where I usually exist so seeing how it spiraled from basic forgery into a murder plot involving the European mob was certainly a thrill. I enjoyed it a great deal and found the plot very intriguing.

Bottom line, Ripley’s Game is a thrill ride of a story. It has excellent performances and has an interesting plot.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Violence, Sexual content, Some strong foul language

FAVORITE QUOTE: I’m a creation. A gifted improviser. I lack your conscience and when I was young that troubled me. It no longer does. I don’t worry about being caught because I don’t believe anyone is watching. The world is not a poorer place because those people are dead. It’s one less car on the road. It’s a little less noise and menace.

Check out the trailer below:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or anime you would like me to review.