Available from April 4 on Netflix, the miniseries “Ripley” is a new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s thriller, published in 1955. After several films, this format takes the time to delve into the psychology of one of the world’s greatest impostors. of the thriller universe and that the actor Andrew Scott has once again put all his talent into play.
Because it was a new adaptation of the “The Talented Mr. Ripley” ? This was our first thought when we heard about the project several years ago. Until we get the cast names: Andrea Scott as con man Tom Ripley, Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf e Dakota Fanning in that of Marge Sherwood. Three actors we appreciate very much, let’s say it. But will they be able to make us forget the Matt Damon-Jude Law-Gwyneth Paltrow trio from Anthony Minghella’s 1999 Hollywood adaptation?
To kick off spring, Netflix offers this miniseries in eight episodes (about an hour each), confirming the strategy of developing success stories over several hours. This was the case in February for “Un jour”, thirteen years after its first film adaptation. The bet seems to be winning. The platform has rarely offered production and direction as refined as this, especially in the thriller genre. The character created by Patricia Highsmith appeared in five of her novels between 1955 and 1991. Only Alain Delon (“Plein Soleil”, 1960, by René Clément) and Matt Damon (whom we talk about above) had for the moment embodied the antihero of the first book.
Andrew Scott, the enigmatic Mr. Ripley
Here the story begins one night in 1961, in Rome. A man drags a lifeless body down the stairs of a tall building. Flashback, six months earlier. The series takes the time to introduce us to the main character. In the New York version of the maid’s room, Tom Ripley lives off scams by constantly posing as someone else, until a detective informs him that a Mr. Greenleaf is asking to see him. . Thinking that he is friends with his son, the latter offers to finance his trip to the Amalfi Coast to bring him back to his family. The gear starts moving.
While watching the series, the comparison with the American film is undeniable. However, showrunner Steven Zaillian (mostly screenwriter, including “Gangs of New York” and “The Irishman” for Scorsese) did everything he could to distance himself from it. The plot is faithful to Patricia Highsmith’s novel: in New York, Tom Ripley is a terrible con man before being sent to Italy where he becomes a sociopath. Zaillian is given a long storyline to develop a complex character. It turns out above all that the choice of Andrew Scott, who speaks “the most extraordinary scenarios” that he has read in his life is immediately convincing. Far from the image of hot priest from season 2 of “Fleabag” or a lone screenwriter in the recent “Without ever knowing each other”the Irishman reminds us of his subtle ability to take on the role of villain, like that of Moriarty in “Sherlock” (2010-2017) or the second antagonist of “007 Spectre” (2015).
Exit the criteria of age and similarity
The actor is, however, much older (47 years old) than Tom Ripley should be. Johnny Flynn (“Lovesick,” “Emma” on Netflix), aka Richard Greenleaf, is also well into his twenties. But whatever, it works.
To distinguish itself from the work of Patricia Highsmith, Netflix did not choose to anchor its story in the fictional village of Mongibello, but in Atrani, which actually exists. By distributing the meeting and rapprochement of Tom Ripley with Richard “Dickie” Greenleaf, the series does not put a word about this relationship and leaves room for ambiguity. The antihero’s growing obsession with the heir is characterized by his need to possess everything he has, from a simple pen to his artistic taste. Caravaggio appears almost as the third main character in the series.
Tom Ripley envies everything about Dickie Greenleaf: his social status and his money, his charisma, his sociability, but he doesn’t like his arrogance. It is in this game of expression and false friend that Scott fascinates. It doesn’t matter if one has read the novel or seen a previous adaptation, it seems rediscover Ripley’s adventures and her reinventions : proof of a script finally written and a good actor, more convincing than Matt Damon was. Opposite him, even Marge Sherwood, Dickie’s girlfriend, finds all the nuances of her thanks to Dakota Fanning (whom we had lost sight of a little from “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood”) and the depth that she deserved.
The first tragic part of the series ends in San Remo in the third episode, giving time to the police investigation to take shape and to a murderer, soon to reoffend (but not having premeditated his act), to escape by taking the identity of his victim. Positive, the series got rid of some secondary characters seen in the 1999 film to fit Highsmith’s story. The arrival of Inspector Pietro Ravini gives rise to compelling comparisons where the staging takes on all its meaning and compensates for certain durations (the crime scenes) with a fairly academic production.
Black and white thriller
One big detail will not be unanimous. The series was shot entirely in black and white, far from the sunny 1999 film. Steven Zaillian explains that he “always imagined in black and white”. “I have never seen this story as a colorful and sunny postcard, but rather as a story of disturbing suspense”, points out. Despite a undeniable aesthetics of these two shades, it is necessaryseveral episodes to get used to. Was it really necessary to take this step aside to make viewers understand that this is a thriller? Scenes shot near Naples would have benefited from being seen in color, reinforcing Dickie Greenleaf’s dreamed-of daily life. It is finally in the second half that this choice takes on its meaning, accompanied by close-up shots on objects or it seems like a film noir.
THE The episodic rhythm, well divided, reinforces the suspense. Even when you think Tom Ripley might fall, he doesn’t. From the Amalfi Coast, to Palermo, Rome and Venice, almost empty cities (the filming took place during the pandemic), the murderer’s epic keeps us in suspense and succeeds in its mission, always with a mystery, that of not showing never defects, an antihero who never lets any regrets glimpse. Ripley is no longer a small-time crook who doesn’t speak a word of Italian, but a fine strategist with undeniable charisma, and almost bilingual. In this respect, “Ripley” certainly proves to be the best adaptation of the first novel dedicated to the character written by Patricia Highsmith sixty-nine years ago. As long as you agree to spend time with Andrew Scott’s silences.
“Ripley.” 8 episodes available on Netflix from April 4th. With Andrew Scott, Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn, Maurizio Lombardo…
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
