I read Patricia Highsmith's novel several times, and thought the 1999 movie with Matt Damon spot-on. But I really think that this new one has surpassed it. Of course, with eight one-hour long episodes, it has the advantage of extensively taking the time to picture all the details of Highsmith's perfectly crafted plot: details that emphasize not so much the crimes itselves, but especially all the hard work and toil of Tom to get away with it. It results in a very slow-paced, but extremely intriguing and involving film.
Andrew Scott is a bit older than I expected of Tom Ripley, but he was absolutely perfect as the unobtrusive guy-next-door, with his vague smiles and sparse dialogue, the one person of whom no-one would expect anything bad. Dakota Fanning also did a great job as the suspicious Marge, who cautious but stubbornly (and in vain) kept looking for cracks in Tom's composure. And I loved Maurizio Lombardi as the imperturbable Italian inspector Ravini.
But what stands out even more is the stunning cinematography: it's simply amazing how director Steven Zaillian and photographer Robert Elswit created such a wonderful atmosphere, filming it in black and white. The latter could impress as a whimsical mannerism of the makers, but here it's totally functional and in place, I guess it worked even better than full colour. There are so many stunning images (the close-ups of classic statues, the narrow cobbly Italian streets, the Via Appia by night, the raging waves during the ferry-trip to Palermo), that thanks to the black and white got an extra meaning, full of heavy forebodings. And kudos to the art-direction too, for so flawlessly evoking the 1950's!
In short: an amazing production, close to perfection!
Andrew Scott is a bit older than I expected of Tom Ripley, but he was absolutely perfect as the unobtrusive guy-next-door, with his vague smiles and sparse dialogue, the one person of whom no-one would expect anything bad. Dakota Fanning also did a great job as the suspicious Marge, who cautious but stubbornly (and in vain) kept looking for cracks in Tom's composure. And I loved Maurizio Lombardi as the imperturbable Italian inspector Ravini.
But what stands out even more is the stunning cinematography: it's simply amazing how director Steven Zaillian and photographer Robert Elswit created such a wonderful atmosphere, filming it in black and white. The latter could impress as a whimsical mannerism of the makers, but here it's totally functional and in place, I guess it worked even better than full colour. There are so many stunning images (the close-ups of classic statues, the narrow cobbly Italian streets, the Via Appia by night, the raging waves during the ferry-trip to Palermo), that thanks to the black and white got an extra meaning, full of heavy forebodings. And kudos to the art-direction too, for so flawlessly evoking the 1950's!
In short: an amazing production, close to perfection!