Review of "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by

Starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, and Cate Blanchett, this movie had a head start in talent right up front. Its the story of a young man named Tom Ripley who is yearning to make his mark in the world. Tom, as the title says, very talented. He plays the piano brilliantly, his conversational skills are excellent, he has an uncanny ability to mimic voices and speech patterns, but mostly he is an incredible liar. Ripley is hired a wealthy American shipbuilder to retrieve his wayward son Dickie, played by Law, from Italy. We encounter Dickie dallying with another refugee from a wealthy background, Paltrow, and the three of them get very chummy. Ultimately, a dark side to Ripley's character emerges and his lies and obsessions with wealth overwhelm him to the point of murder. Its all very tangled, but gripping.

Paltrow is a bit less breathless than normal here, and Damon once again shows us why he's in demand with a solid performance in a complex role. Its a fun film to fill in the void during the summer re-run season on TV.

The widescreen DVD features cast interviews, a couple of "Making Of..." specials, two music videos, 2 theatrical trailers, and commerntary by directory Anthony Minghella.. Dolby Digital Surround Sound.