Ripley Review: Andrew Scott Captivates in Gorgeous if Slow Netflix Adaptation
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The post Ripley Review: Andrew Scott Captivates in Gorgeous if Slow Netflix Adaptation appeared first on Consequence.
The Pitch: Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) is a middling con artist in 1960s New York when he gets recruited by the parents of playboy/aspiring artist Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) for a mission: The parents are tired of Dickie roaming around the most beautiful spots of Europe, and so, believing Tom to be a school chum of Dickie’s, they ask him to bring their son home.
Instead, once Tom’s fallen in with Dickie and his girlfriend Marge (Dakota Fanning), he’s too enamored of their lovely Italian life to ever let it go. And, unfortunately for more than one person in their circle, he’ll do anything to keep it.
You’re Not Even Ugly: Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List, The Irishman) writes and directs every episode of this new take on Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, creating a sumptuously-made limited series with only one major flaw: Its pacing. Much of Ripley proceeds at a speed that feels very authentic to lazy Italian afternoons dripping with sunlight; it’s a vibe that’s great for vacationing, but less great if you’re sitting on your couch waiting for the murder to start.
The first two episodes are probably the worst offenders of this, though, as things pick up considerably in Episode 3. And even from the beginning, the series is just gorgeous to look at; filmed in chiaroscuro black-and-white, cinematographer Robert Elswit never makes you miss the colors of the Italian seaside. Instead, the stark bursts of white bring the baking heat of the sun’s rays to the screen, while night scenes deliver a sharp film noir feel.
The attention to not just the cinematography, but production design and costumes, is more than a surface-level endeavor — this almost painterly quality is reflected in the art theory and history scattered throughout the episodes, including some intriguing details about the 1600s painter Caravaggio, who famously worked in a chiaroscuro style, and had more in common with Tom Ripley than you might know.
Better to Be a Fake Somebody Than a Real Nobody: Many acclaimed actors have played Tom Ripley in past adaptations, including Alain Delon, John Malkovich, and some guy named Matt… Damian? Something like that. Yet it’s hard to imagine a more perfect role for Andrew Scott — in fact, when you consider his work as Moriarty in the BBC Sherlock, it’s hard not to feel like he’s been auditioning for this job for years.
Ripley (Netflix)
What works so well about Scott’s performance is that he knows just how much to reveal about Ripley’s inner thoughts, especially in the character’s most vulnerable or desperate moments. He’s not a monster, or a robot — sometimes, he doesn’t even seem like a full-tilt sociopath. Instead, at his darkest moments, he’s more like a desperate animal, determined to survive at whatever cost.
Johnny Flynn fares less well — it’s not that he doesn’t work in the role, he just fails to make a strong impression. Comparing his performance to Jude Law’s work in the 1999 film doesn’t quite feel fair, since Law was a nuclear bomb of charisma in Anthony Minghella’s adaptation, and yet Flynn lacks the raw charm that would make Dickie as compelling as the predator stalking him. Fortunately, not too much of the season hinges on his chemistry with Scott; it’d be a bigger issue otherwise.
As for the rest of the cast, Dakota Fanning keeps her Marge relatively self-contained and not terribly memorable; meanwhile, Eliot Sumner (the child of Sting, believe it or not) brings a lot of wit and a fascinating aloofness to the role of Freddie Miles, a friend of Dickie and Marge’s with a healthy distrust of Tom. Attention must also be paid to the always cool and captivating Bokeem Woodbine, looking wonderful in that hat.
The Verdict: The most fascinating element of Ripley is how its period setting makes it the polar opposite of a techno-thriller, exploring the nuances of a con artist’s work in an era of typewriters and landlines. All the details of Tom’s schemes — and the police’s limitations, when it comes to figuring them out — are given a lot of attention, in ways that almost make one nostalgic for a simpler time, when it seems like committing crimes was a lot easier.
The pacing is really the biggest issue holding the series back, especially early on. But push through, and it really is a visual feast, with a leading performance that’s an instant Emmy nomination and a sharp eye for humanity’s dark underbelly, its grotesquerie almost beautiful in this light.
Where to Watch: Ripley is streaming now on Netflix.
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Ripley Review: Andrew Scott Captivates in Gorgeous if Slow Netflix Adaptation
Liz Shannon Miller
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