actually sitting through a whole movie
It's early Friday. The morning light has just started to peek through the trees near my house and then through the gaps in my window blinds. I really want to go back to sleep, but I can't stop thinking about this movie I watched yesterday. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999).
My friends always decide what we watch. Usually movies that they've seen get added to Criterion or had recommended to them by podcasts (dubious means). I love it because I usually leave the room anyway to go do my own thing and leave my movie nerd buds to talk shop about what they've just seen.
Last night was different though. I only half listened to the gang talk about what we're about to watch, fully expecting to get up a few minutes into the movie to go snake my way over to my computer. That didn't happen though. No matter how much the weed in my system was trying to get me to log into TF2, I just couldn't find the will to peel myself away from the screen.
First off, I'm no film analyst but I can recognize when I'm being enveloped in a great movie. The Talented Mr. Ripley shows us a gorgeous Italy, it's a real treat to the eyes. Tom Ripley our leading man, played by Matt Damon, is such a freak it's so charming until the moment it isn't. This film really earns it's place in the thriller genre thanks to the actions Tom takes throughout the movie's second half. Also, it's surprisingly gay? I think part of why the film was so enthralling was getting mixed into the subtleties and allusions to gay shit being afoot here. The spark between some of the male cast is molto bene. It's a film based on the book of the same name by, Patricia Highsmith, who apperently also wrote the the book that the lesbian movie Carol (2015) is based on. Which I guess now I must watch because lady can write some really interesting queers.
The morning light has fully evolved into daylight now, and I find myself thinking about the character Peter, played by Jack Davenport. He enters the movie almost out of no where and follows up Phillip Seymour Hoffman's antagonistic Freddie character as a much more warm, charming person. Although it's hard to see where the movie is steering us in introducing Peter because he starts off as such an inconsequential character to the plot. However, the direction they go with him and Tom Ripley's "relationship" has really become the highlight of the whole film for me and it only comes together in the final act. Peter's also really cute, I can overlook the whole British thing. Ugh, justice for Peter.
I think you'll be hard pressed to find any current day conversation about the Talented Mr. Ripley that does not include mention of Saltburn (2023). We didn't realize this until halfway through the movie, but the thematic similarities were just too great not to point out that Saltburn is just the same film. I liked Saltburn ok enough, but LOVED the Talented Mr. Ripley. No contest on which I'd rather rewatch (especially for Peter...) and I think that comes down to Ripley's runtime. Normally a 2 hour 19 minute runtime would be primo "walk out and do something else" time for me. However, a movie of this length would have so much to offer on rewatch especially because all the performances given reveal such depth in each character and their movements through the dense plot.
Watch this movie, it's gas. 5 outta 5 turquoise pinky rings.
Not bad for my first blog post I hope! :)
It was a lot of fun to let a stream of consciousness out onto digital paper. If you liked this post please let me know with the little click on the "^" up arrow below.