How Talented

Jazz, a huge fan myself, what is improvisation but a moment of total chaos, and yet perfection, an infinite moment in which anything is possible. Jazz is an explosion of defined chaos, and is crazed yet beautiful. Despite the main characters love of jazz, the next film is anything but that, it is slick, polished, and calculated, and the film itself seems to be at odds with the frenetic rushing of its main characters and their actions, infinite in their craziness. The Talented Mr Ripley is a psychological thriller starring Matt Damon in the title role. The films is an adaptation of the series of novels by Patricia Highsmith, about a con artist who uses his many talents to get by in life and to finance his extravagant lifestyle, all the while clinging to control his world. Matt Damon is just perfection in this role, an manages to portray a man who is slick and calm, yet who is in turmoil.

The supporting cast is also stunning, my brother can testify to the fact that I recently had a little bit of a rant about Gwyneth Paltrow's (in my opinion) undeserving Oscar win, considering Cate Blanchett's performance in Elizabeth, however i was taken aback by her performance in this film, she is a woman who manages to always maintain her composure, yet who can feel her world slowly starting to fall apart, she is also stunningly beautiful in this picture. Jude Law plays her fiance, a man who seems to have it all together, but whose Mr Hyde personality, a creature of rage and violence breaks through at a pivotal moment in the plot.

The incredible Cate Blanchett plays Meredith Logue, a character who doesn't appear in the novels. Cate Blanchett has less material to work with than her costars, yet she succeeds in making the character intriguing and mysterious none the less, and like Paltrow she looks stunning. The film itself is set in Italy, and the film is simply incredible, and these stunning vistas provide a classy backdrop for the violence and destruction which is to unfold. The film is impressive in the way in which it presents the events of the film in a fairly neutral manner, in that it doesn't present the incidents of the film in an especially negative light, yet allows us to empathize with the main character, and presents the film from his point of view.

This film is also exceptionally well edited, and this is shown in the way that the picture fails to drag, I recently described a film as never allowing time for the audience to get bored, and the same is true for The Talented Mr Ripley, the film uses changes of narrative and changes of setting, in order to keep the film fresh and keep the film from dragging. The film also fails to go down the traditional route of ridiculous plot twists and ludicrous coincidences, and rather than the events of the film seeming far fetched, the film seems calculated, and controlled.

I can simply say that The Talented Mr Ripley is simply a joy, the film presents fantastic performances from its four leads, whom each provide a depth to their character, and show a humanity in their characters, even when the people they portray are simply horrid. The film looks stunning and has great music, and is an thrillingly entertaining romp, with a fantastic story Rating: A

Tom Ripley: If I could just go back... if I could rub everything out... starting with myself.