User Reviews

I did not read Ms. Highsmith's novels. My sole reference was the Jude Law and Matt Damon movie, which I couldn't help comparing throughout this beautiful series.

I noted: Andrew Scott's Tom Ripley looks to be a man in his thirties, not like the young man played by Mr. Damon. Damon seemed more like a recent college student, whereas Scott left school a good decade or more ago.

Jude Law's Dickie Greenleaf impregnated a local Italian girl, who drowned herself to spare her family's honor. That story isn't used in this series, but it cemented Dickie's masculinity, in contrast to the lovelorn Mr. Ripley, who oozes with homosexual desires.

The series' actors are impressive. The Roman detective all but steals the show from Tom Ripley in every scene. But I keep falling back on the movie, where Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge was exceptional in her rage against the social-climber Tom. In contrast, Dakota Fanning's eyes show more anger than her scripted words. Gwyneth also dressed like a rich lady, whereas Dakota is channeling... Minnesota.

The B&W cinematography is sumptuous. The landmarks in Rome, the Amalfi coast, Palermo, and Venice are beautifully shot. There is comedy in the banter, a wise cat, and splendid clothing. Freddie Miles is played by UK singer Sting's gender fluid daughter, which I personally found distracting.

Brush up on your spoken Italian. Pick up words and nuances. All the actors put in a great effort.

The series is excellent, and I recommend it highly.

What an amazing production from casting to the beautiful BW cinematography, camera angles, and scenery. The swap of Dickie and Tom was so cleverly done, and the tension of Marge finding things out and almost going for a swim/getting smacked in the head with an ashtray was thick! I didn't buy Ravini not seeing through Toms disguise though, nor the fact that he never obtained a photo of this guy they are trying to find, catch, interrogate. Clever was his repeated clicks of the pen, smokes using same ashtray as murder weapon, (didn't find colorful bloody cat prints though did he?) but to not have asked Marge for a picture of Richard Dickie was just dumb.

Some great planning by Tom to put Picasso in his new alias name (though Marge seemed to have broken character in the end, finally cracking a smile even though guy she loved has disappeared). Love that we see what could happen should investigator have a clue, and flashbacks to "what was last thing you said to Dickie?" with image of his dead bloody hand on the boat floating though the air. The links with artist Caravaggio seemed oddly placed, then prominent in final episodes like the spirit of this guy was living in Tom. Can't say enough about the beautiful images, reflections, framing and textures of beautiful Italy circa 1960 , and the added suspense every time he left a train walking by the gendarmes just tempting fate. Bravo.

This has been a wonderful adaptation overall. Beautifully acted and shot, dripping with style.

However, it lost its way in this episode. It was completely ludicrous that Inspector Ravini did *not* recognise Ripley, under his poorly executed disguise. I had been happy to go along for the ride, having seen both previous cinematic adaptations (Purple Noon, The Talented Mr Ripley) and read Patricia Highsmith's novel. However, when we got to this particular scene, all credibility went out the window. This was really poorly conceived - Ripley's appearance and voice would have been so utterly recognisable and familiar to the Inspector; unfathomable that he was not recognised.

The main point of this episode seems to be showing how pathetic and easily deceived Italians are. The biggest culprit being obviously Inspector Ravini. Not only he doesn't bother to get a photo of an allegedly missing person (Ripley), but he goes to Ripley's house, doesn't recognise him thanks to a ridiculous wig and moustaches and - worst of all - tells Ripley all details about an ongoing investigation.

Those are abysmally low investigative standards. Since when the police is at liberty to discuss a case with a person of interest? Not only that but Italian newspapers and magazines publish articles about Ripley and Greenleaf without a single photo of either... again, how believable is that? A big feature appears on a weekly magazine without a portrait of the missing guy when Marge could have provided tons? Yes, Italian are stupid and duped by smart Americans.

Being Italian myself I should be insulted, but I just found this last episode dragging on and being kind of OTT stupid. Even if Highsmith novel was good, sometimes a plot works only on paper but not so much when confronted with real details.

To begin with, this is a beautiful looking show. But, like so many of Netflix shows, where their goal was always quantity over quality, it tastes much better than it is filling. And like so many sugar filled packaged foods, the world eats this garbage up. The Crown, Narcos, Narcos Mexico and Stranger Things are pretty much the best Netflix has to offer. After the occasional one off like The Queen's Gambit, the vast majority of the streamer's series get much more love from easily satisfied sugar addicted viewers then they deserve.

This show starts out compelling, thanks largely to the gorgeous cinematography (or is that CGI?) and the always intriguing acting of Andrew Scott. But, then the good times wear off. This show probably should have ended around episode four. But, no. They had to drag it out for four more plot hole jam packed hours of head scratching bad police work and just illogical choices by everyone, including Ripley.

Honestly, I am not surprised.

SPOILERS FOLLOW

I get it. The entire purpose of this is to get you to think he's about to get caught and just when he seems stuck, something unexpected happens. But the unexpected is really just cheap writer tricks with barely an ounce of real world logic. "Tom Ripley is missing and possibly dead," declares the lead inspector in a newspaper article. But no one bothers to print his picture? A picture of a missing person would be the very first thing the police ask for. Of course, that would have wrapped this all up so, without explanation, no one asks for one. Marge publishes her photos of life with Richard in two magazines, but neither actually show his face. Again, that would have ended the mystery. Freddie declares Tom is guilty of a crime, tells him he's going to the police, then turns his back on him. Who does that? And Ripley? Kills someone in a boat but decides to sink the evidence filled boat in shallow water. Kills someone else, manages against all odds to get them out of his place into their car but then just leaves the car for anyone to find.

This show probably deserves better than a 2 but when the final four episodes are just infuriating enough to torpedo any good will created by the first four, this is what they get.