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Visitors Review

fabio.xyz 2012-05-24 20:20:20

Plot interesting but a lot of weak elements

The main problems with this film are: the photography remembers thetelevisions productions of German crime series', and the Liliana Cavanidirection is motionless and without creativeness.The plot is very interesting but a lot of main elements are weak: howevilcan grow inside a quiet family man or what kind of relationship can joinRipley and his wife.Actors, a superb John Malkovich a part, don't do a good job andcontributewith the script to draw not realistic characters without depth (ChiaraCaselli over all).

2012-05-24 07:29:21

"Because that's the game."

Director Liliana Cavani's Ripley's Game has something in common with her (in)famous 1974 film The Night Porter. Both movies are about people without a conscience. And about their games. Unlike most storytellers, Cavani doesn't waste time trying to explain why the Ripleys of the world exist, she just shows them to us. Ripley's Game starts by showing how different Ripley is from the rest of us, then tries to prove there isn't much difference after all. John Malkovich is perfect as the amoral criminal as artist. Ripley's crimes pay for his life amid beauty at his Italian villa. His lover, who understands what he is, is also an artist, a musician. Even Ripley's chef, "the finest cook in the Veneto," is an artist who immediately understands Ripley's hint when he suggests she "might want to visit her sister" when violence threatens the villa.The Ripleys thrive because the rest us, normal people who imagine we live by our scruples, love them and understand them. We need Ripley and the night porter.Ripley, by now jaded and barely able to remember the "truly horrible" things he's done, corrupts an innocent young man for several reasons, and for none, but mostly "because that's the game." Jonathan Trevanny (Dougray Scott) is Ripley's opposite: a working-class picture-framer, not an art patron and connoisseur, with a naïve wife instead of a sophisticate (she doesn't even recognize her boss's lecherous behavior), and with a young son instead of a barren relationship.Jonathan, under financial pressure, becomes capable of the things that Ripley is capable of, and, because of his choices, loses what he loves most. Ripley seems vindicated in his view of humanity. ("I lack your conscience. That used to bother me when I was younger.")But at the last moment Jonathan suprises Ripley and maybe even himself. "Why did you do that?" Ripley asks without comprehension. Jonathan's wife, too, instinctively shows she is not like those Ripley has surrounded himself with. After a symphony of violence, Ripley attends his lover's concert in an ancient theater where art is classical, preserved from centuries past, not like the pop music that was on the radio at a party in Jonathan's home and at his shop.Earlier, Ripley sat down at the harpsichord with his lover while she was practicing. Ripley's fingers interposed jazzy modern music with her somber classical piece. If there's a little Ripley in us, maybe there's a little of us in Ripley.

spectraplay 2012-05-14 01:44:08

Ripley's Game Great expose on evil

The plot is clear to me. It is based on the Biblical verse, satan comesto steal, to kill, and to destroy. In the opening he comes to steal, thentrows in a visious murder. I've not mu8ch time but I can tell you thefilmis packed with subtle refereneces to the nature of evil. The secrecy inwhich he opperates. The murders in the "WC" representing self defilement.The heart and soul torn from the house. The temtation of an innocent.Thedestructive dependency he seduces his lover with. The hightening of evilbyhightening the dog eat dog of other evil people. His lifes purpose beingone of total evil. His path of destruction and so forth.This is brilliant work and it's purpose is to expose evil and certainlynotto promote it. Think about it evil is the second most powerful force intheuniverse and the least understood.spectraplay

Urban Cinefile Critics 2012-05-13 13:02:12

A stylishly intelligent thriller with an enthralling performance by John Malkovich.

maaaaarcus 2012-05-05 10:39:09

well, well, well ... what can be said?

I amazed how many people on IMDb gave this film such good reviews. Itcompletely lost me in the first scene where Tom Ripley is making thebogus deal with another dodgy art dealer and kills his bodyguard in avery unconvincing way. Everything from how the film looks (choice offilm stock) to the boring cinematography, choreography, hammyperformances, and writing tells me I'm in for ... well, a bad film. Andthat's exactly what it is, folks!! Where this movie really lost me is when I discover Tom Ripley talkingon a cell phone. Okay. That must mean it is set around the time themovie was made (early 2000's). If this is the same character as theMatt Damon one from The Talented Mr. Ripley which was set in the1950's, that would make Tom Ripley in his 60's, at least!! I'm sorry,but Malcovich does not look like he's in his 60's. And my apologies formy lack of knowledge on this character because I have never read theseries, but isn't he supposed to be gay? That was certainly what TheTalented Mr Ripley suggested. What I assume is that he's bi-sexual andthat many years later he's decided to shack up with a much youngerItalian woman who loves it from behind.

Jenny Ho 2012-05-04 18:07:22

Totally engaging

Yes, this is the same Ripley as the Tom Ripley of ‘The Talented Mr Ripley',only this time it is an older Ripley played by John Malkovich. This is notto say you necessarily have to have seen Matt Damon's film to make ‘Ripley'sGame' worthwhile as the story stands alone in its own right. In ‘Ripley'sGame', we learn what we need to know about the character –that he has ataste for the good things in life including a love of fine art, and aruthless attitude to anyone who stands in his way which enables him to conand even murder when necessary. Because of his past successes, Ripley is approached by Reeves (RayWinstone), an old colleague who wants him to murder a rival. At a party,Ripley overhears the host, Jonathan Trevanny (Dougray Scott) insulting himin front of his guests. When Ripley learns that Jonathan is terminally ill,he plans revenge for the insults by exploiting the illness to turningJonathan into Reeves' paid assassin, thus intruding on and destroying hisquiet and happy family life.The fascinating nature of the character of Tom Ripley makes for an engagingfilm. It is interesting that I found myself rooting for both the bad andthe good guy throughout. Malkovich excels in the role: on the surface he ischarming –even funny at times, but awareness of his psychotic tendencies andhis lack of conscience provides an uncomfortable and chilling edge. DougrayScott gives a believable and sympathetic performance, while Ray Winstone issufficiently unpleasant as the acquaintance which Ripley is keen tolose.I found following Ripley's Game compelling and entertaining and it has beena while since I have been able to associate the word ‘compelling' with anyfilm.

2012-05-03 23:56:14

A movie that did not need to be made.

This movie was a complete waste of time. I dislike Malkovich more thatI did before seeing it-his acting is flat as usual, and if you want tosay that his character demanded this, then I'll say that he istype-cast and one-dimensional, because he always is like this. Thesupporting actor is absolutely horrible; his acting is amateurish andmelodramatic. The story line is absurd and misleading, and there aremore shootings than you can count, all of them senseless andmeaningless. Oh yeah, it's about a corrupt guy and mob bosses etc.,hence the murders, but the whole thing leaves one with this feeling of,so what? The only virtue in the film is it does not follow any formula,but that is also one of its downfalls. Revenge, greed, murder,hypocrisy...all of these have been dealt with in much more creative andinsightful ways. And lastly the score is horrendous-we are supposed tobelieve that a harpsichord sounds like a synthesizer, and that Ripley'swoman is actually a great keyboard player. My suggestion is to saveyour money-watch something you enjoyed the first time around before youwaste time and money on this piece of trash.

2012-05-03 16:27:37

3.5 stars out of 4

The Bottom Line:Ripley's Game is an intelligent thriller with a superb turn by Malkovich in the lead and capable support from the rest of the cast; a worthy addition to the handful of Ripley movies, it's a sadly-underappreciated film.

2012-05-02 05:48:27

Searching for Patricia Highsmith

Patricia Highsmith is one of those novelists whose time, unfortunately, has come posthumously. Though she died in 1996, it has only been recently that her gifts as a novelist have been appreciated. Much of her core writing examined the psyches of homosexual characters, never exploiting them, only using their sexuality as an enhancement of their full character development. RIPLEY'S GAME, the most recent transfer of Highsmith's book to film, is part of a trilogy she wrote about the character of Tom Ripley, a sensitive, gentle soul who finds his way into the world of the wealth by means of criminal acts. In the first book of the trilogy THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY, Tom Ripley is driven by his need for acceptance not only in the (to him) inaccessible world of the wealthy, but also in his urgent need to be loved by other men. In the second novel, RIPLEY UNDERGROUND, Highsmith seems to drop the sexual overtones in favor of pushing Tom Ripley into the arms of a wealthy wife and monetary power, capitalizing on the greed for achievement overshadowing the need for love. By RIPLEY'S GAME the usual trademark Highsmith sexual innuendoes have nothing to do with Ripley, but are very much present in the life of Ripley's confidant in crime - Reeves.This final installment in the Ripley stories has Ripley as teacher, instructing his pupil in the macabre methods of murder for gain. In the title role John Malkovich is his usual wily, brilliant, but misdirected self and his performance is superb (if similar to all of his other roles). Dougray Scott is Ripley's odd pupil Jonathan, Lena Headey his wife Sarah, Ray Winstone is Reeves, and with Chiara Caselli as Ripley's harpsichordist paramour all four add fine performances. There is beautiful photography of Berlin and Rome and the movement is kept at a keen pace by Director Liliana Cavani. So why just 4 stars? There is just not the flavor of Highsmith's lack of predictability here to justify that. But in all, it is an entertaining movie and sure to encourage more to read the works of Patricia Highsmith.

maribert 2012-05-02 01:36:01

Ripley, c'est moi

I have always thought that Patricia Highsmith's Ripley novels wereaimed (like a missile) at the reader. So, the films. One's immediatereaction to Ripley tells more about the viewer/reader than anything atall about Ripley. His charm is that he is absolutely immoral in apseudo-moral universe of sentimentality passing for decency. He hastaken the society's values, not at their word, but at their obviousmeaning: benefit yourself at all cost; nothing is more important thanyour own welfare; if it seems necessary, do it - you can probablyalways get out of the consequences. He is popular with us all, notbecause he is a snob, or a cad, or a mediocrity,although he may be allof those things. He is popular because we recognize ourselves in him.This film portrays the Highsmith character fully and true to thenovels. I found Malkovich, who I usually dislike, perfect in the roleand the other actors are excellent. Being a European production makesit easier to avoid the soppiness of The Talented Mr. Ripley, a trulydreadful film to my mind. The score was a grand addition as was theperfect lighting and ambiance of the sets - brilliantly dark, full ofthe emptiness of a reality so flatly conveyed.I will be happy to see itagain.

2012-04-26 10:35:07

As Good as "The Talented Mr. Ripley"

This review is from: Ripley's Game : Widescreen Edition (DVD) The movie is kind of a sequel to "The Talented Mr. Ripley", but you need not have seen that to see "Ripley's Game". Tom Ripley is about 6 years older than he was supposed to be in "The Talented Mr. Ripley". He is married, very wealthy, and is an art forger. Tom Ripley does not have a conscience. He murders anyone who gets in his way and is not bothered in the least. Malkovich plays him to the hilt in his coldness and devil-may-care attitude. We see more of Tom Ripley's personality in this movie. There's a lot of action and I found myself not being able to stop watching it. Fabulous.

Rich Cline 2012-04-26 02:51:01

It's fascinating and entertaining, but rather dull as well.

David Rooney 2012-04-19 16:37:37

Malkovich's elegantly malicious performance gives Ripley's Game a magnetic center.

usertim113 2012-04-19 06:20:24

Excellent, why not film the rest of the series?

I have read all the Ripley books and consider him to be amongst thegreatest literary creations. This is an excellent 'adaptation' of thenovel. There are many differences with the book of course but I didn'tmind, as indeed I didn't with The Talented Mister Ripley. I wonder whysomeone hasn't decided to film the entire series with the same cast,audiences would love this. Malkovich is superb and this film deservesfar more recognition than it got at the time. I wonder whether one ofthe problems is that unless you have read the books you don't reallyknow what Ripley is all about. His behaviour would seem absurd unlessyou know something about the character. This reemphasises my pointabout the problem of filming the books as 'one offs', a series of filmswould help the viewer to see how Ripley changes over the years. WhatHighsmith did brilliantly was to invent a psychotic murderous figurewho the reader grows to love and wills to succeed. In the end youactually begin to resent the characters that come into Ripley's lifeand spoil his idyllic French (not Italian as it is here) retreat.Ripley never seeks out to kill but ends up having to do so in order toprotect his anonymity.

Scarecrow-88 2012-04-14 15:01:44

Ripley's Game

The improviser with no conscience is now later in years and moresophisticated and calm in the way he does his work. "Tom Ripley"(JohnMalkovich)is bothered with the annoyance of a former partner heassisted on a painting scheme named Reeves(Ray Winstone). Reeves needsan innocent to kill some people for him so he can make some seriousbusiness profit. The pawn of Ripley's game, and the innocent stainedwith blood, will be painting framer Jonathan(Dougray Scott)who is dyingof leukemia. Jonathan isn't wealthy and makes an insult towards Ripleyat a party function(that Ripley overhears and visibly it is etched thathe's angry about it)that will put in motion him being selected as theone probable to commit murders for Reeves. Jonathan is indeed a tragiccharacter in this film for he kills once to earn a cool profit thatwould benefit his money-strapped family after he's dead, Reevesthreatens that very family if he doesn't murder again.Ripley steps up to assist Jonathan in the second kill(which Reevesinforms must be completed with the use of a garrote), which is anythingbut easy killing a man with a wire-strangling device, on board a train.When one of the second kill's men doesn't die, they come looking forRipley and Jonathan which makes up the final thirty minutes of thefilm.I have to say, the film is entertaining, specifically for Malkovich'sportrayal of a much wiser, more seasoned specialist who doesn't sufferfrom guilt or bothered by reasoning out his actions. He's cold,calculating, swift, and infinitely quick-thinking. Dougray Scott'sinterpretation of the sad Jonathan is also a marvelous watch because heis engulfed with the torment of his actions. His wife wants to know howhe earns so much money and where he goes when heading off to Berlin toassassinate people. The knowledge of having to kill weighs him down andtears away at his very guts. He doesn't enjoy killing and it deeplybothers him. Jonathan loves that son of his and adores his belovedwife. Ripley doesn't even wince at killing, but Jonathan isn't asociopath monster cloaked by this quiet demeanor. Reeves is the chiefmotivator of the violence and enjoys sitting back while others does hisdirty work. Ripley doesn't quake at Reeves' feet, but Jonathan has hisfamily to worry about. Reeves has the power to harm Jonathan and thatcontrol forces the innocent to do his bidding.

Seb Hampson 2012-04-14 04:00:46

Best thriller ever made

This has to be the best thriller ever made. If I was going to be givenfifty dollars to say it was shocking, I would not. John Malkovitch issuperbly cast as Tom Ripley, a sardonic criminal living in Italy. He isso brilliantly calm all the way through the movie, even when he isblowing up a car filled with corpses or trying to throttle a Germanmillionaire. Uwe Mansshardt was also wonderfully cast as Terry, aninexperienced Brit living in Italy and on the edge of death. Thegeneral idea of the story is that Ripley persuades this Terry to workfor him, though after a failed murder, trouble begins to brew assinister associates surround Ripley's villa. If ever there has been amore suspenseful or thrilling movie, I would like to know about itbecause nothing can compare to the brilliant execution of this movie.Amazing shooting in the Itallian countryside and fantastically scriptedto leave a feeling of suspense and excitement. I can tell you it had myhands gripping the edge of the sofa at more than one point. However,the core action appears to be in large chunks, whereas the bits inbetween are all quite slow moving (one of the reasons it takes up thetime it does), so I think a ten out of ten for acting, ten out of tenfor script, but a nine out of ten for structure. Overall, I wasimpressed by the conveyance of such a fabulous book onto the big screenand I must say it is the only thriller that comes into my top 20 list.

Christos Dimitrakakis 2012-04-08 22:56:09

A patchwork of incompetently shot scenes

What can I say about this movie? It is just a set of badly shot scenes,acting and dialogue, strung together in a completely idiotic way. Thetrailer of the movie is hundreds of times more exciting than the movie. Infact, just watch the trailer. The movie adds nothing more to it than boring,badly acted scenes that serve no purpose at al. names of italian food andpainters, some nice italian landscapes. The plot is ridiculous and themotivations of the characters are implausible. Avoid.To go into some more detail. The main actor acts in his usual, semi-detachedway. His cynic comments are the only worthwhile thing in this movie, if youfind sarcasm funny. Others might find him idiotic. The relationships betweenthe couples seems cold and distant, not because the couples are supposed tobe cold and distant, but because the actors make a lousy job of it.The characterisation is lousy and the plot is full of holes, half-bakedplot-devices and absurdities. Give it a miss.

mackjay 2012-04-08 09:51:26

Dougray Scott at the Center of a Fine Neo-Noir

The 2002 version of RIPLEY'S GAME compares favorably to Wim Wenders's filmfrom 1977, THE AMERICAN FRIEND. Director Cavani is adept at staging scenesso that they are always interesting and compelling. The film has a suresense of forward thrust, which is indispensible for this type of material.And Cavani conjures up some superior acting from all the principals in thecast. It is easy to be impressed with John Malkovich's quiet malevolence asRipley. The mannered actor rivets his character from the opening, amarvelously paced sequence leading to a swift climax that hooks the viewerfor the rest of the film. Ray Winstone and Lena Headey are more thanadequate in their support as well. If Ripley is the brain of the story, itis Jonathan, Ripley's tormented victim, who must be the heart of it. Andthis is why RIPLEY'S GAME is so fascinating and involving. We are drawn tothe machinations and danger, but also moved by Jonathan's tragicimplication. As good as the superb Bruno Ganz is with Wenders, Dougray Scottin the present film may even be slightly better. This is the kind of rolethat demands everything from an actor, and Scott delivers it all withcomplete conviction. It's an example of perfect casting, and Scott deservesto be applauded for it.Beautifully shot by Alfio Contini, and scored with genius by EnnioMorricone, RIPLEY'S GAME does not quite approach the stylistic brilliance ofWenders's mournful cityscapes in THE AMERICAN FRIEND. But Malkovich'sperformance is at least the equal of Dennis Hopper's and Dougray Scott givesBruno Ganz more than worthy competition. Highly recommended.

kai ringler 2012-04-08 17:51:26

dicaprio vs. malcovich

it seems like this movie starts out slowly, and picks up steam as itnears the end. john malcovich was very in character, and very eerie attimes. i did not think that this one was as near as good as theoriginal. this one follows ripley who enlists the help of a common manto commit several murders. that's a new one for me. i did like thetrain sequences, where ripley, and the man have to kill several men ina bathroom. the story i thought was very good, but then again theacting could have been a little better. i think the downfall here inthis movie is that john malcovich didn't really have a good supportingcast with him on this one. so overall i think this movie is onlyaverage.

2012-04-08 02:47:41

review of Ripley's Game

DVD arrived intact.Enjoyed the film as it is well casted. John Malcovich is a favorite actor as his humor is dry as well as laconic.His Ripley character is a control freak whose emotions are motion-less,where his acting counterpoint is a man who is very emotional, going thru levels of severe turmoil and stress. The contrasts play well off each other.Setting/locale(Italy)is beautiful,and story elements are very entertaining.It is a B+ for me.