Having said that, I've read a lot of the other reviews, and many seem to feel the characterization of Ripley in the book is superior to the film version. It sounds like the novel's Ripley was a more proactive kind of a guy: rather than waiting for things to happen to him, he went out and MADE them happen. That approach would seem to make more sense in this kind of drama. The Ripley of the film was almost inert. The only real effort he put into the story line was to learn something about jazz. Opportunistic in only the most passive of ways, he allowed events to wash over him like ocean waves and then only sprang into action when it was absolutely necessary to direct the events himself. This type of character rarely reaches significant levels of success in his chosen field, whether it's brain surgery or identity theft.
I'll admit that I had my doubts about the plot from the start, right from the time Ripley "connected" with Greenleaf Senior over the Princeton jacket. I have a little experience with the "old boy" system and I find it almost impossible to believe that Ripley was able to convincingly present that he was ever at Princeton because I know the kinds of questions that always get asked when an alma mater is being discussed among fresh acquaintances.
I'm one who didn't mind the length of the film, at least; it seemed to want to have a lot to say and I was fine with how long it took to try and tell it. I don't have much of an opinion on Matt Damon one way or the other, but he was nothing special here. Jude Law and Philip Seymour Hoffman turned in the best performances by far. The location shooting was beautiful.
All in all, there was enough here to make me curious about reading the original novel someday, but the film itself is only average.
I'll admit that I had my doubts about the plot from the start, right from the time Ripley "connected" with Greenleaf Senior over the Princeton jacket. I have a little experience with the "old boy" system and I find it almost impossible to believe that Ripley was able to convincingly present that he was ever at Princeton because I know the kinds of questions that always get asked when an alma mater is being discussed among fresh acquaintances.
I'm one who didn't mind the length of the film, at least; it seemed to want to have a lot to say and I was fine with how long it took to try and tell it. I don't have much of an opinion on Matt Damon one way or the other, but he was nothing special here. Jude Law and Philip Seymour Hoffman turned in the best performances by far. The location shooting was beautiful.
All in all, there was enough here to make me curious about reading the original novel someday, but the film itself is only average.