Ripley is a new limited series based on the novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, written by Patricia Highsmith which was initially published in 1955. This same novel has previously been adapted as a film of the same name in 1999 starring Matt Damon and Jude Law. The series is streaming on Netflix with eight total episodes and stars Andrew Scott, Johnny Flynn, and Dakota Fanning.

The story of Ripley is set in the late 1950s and surrounds the exploits of a con man by the name of Tom Ripley (Scott). In the beginning, Tom is hired by a wealthy shipbuilder by the name of  Herbert Greenleaf to undertake a journey to Italy in order to convince Greenleaf’s son to return home to New York. Herbert mistakes Tom for a distant friend of his son Richard and thus trusts him with the task. Tom agrees and upon finding Richard in the coastal city of Atrani he becomes enamored with the man’s wealthy lifestyle, beginning a long journey of deception in order to take it for himself.

The best thing about this show is the overall presentation and cinematography. The entire series is shot in black and white preserving the essence of 1950s cinema while making full use of the beautiful vistas of the Italian coastline to develop key themes and symbolism. I particularly enjoyed the parallels drawn between Tom and the renowned artist Caravaggio.

Another aspect that I find praiseworthy is the overall performances. Andrew Scott’s version of Tom Ripley is overflowing with unnerving awkwardness that helps to reinforce his conniving personality. You’ll always be kept on your toes wondering what his true end goals are or just how far Tom is willing to take his deception. I also enjoyed the supporting cast. Johnny Flynn perfectly captures that easygoing, laid-back charm of an exceptionally wealthy man with his version of Richard Greenleaf. Meanwhile, Dakota Fanning provides an antagonistic role as the suspicious girlfriend Marge.

By far the biggest issues I had with the show involve the overall plausibility of the narrative. Tom oftentimes is very incompetent in some of the areas that really matter for the purposes of this con. This forces the viewer to make some very generous concessions when it comes to going along with the story.

There’s also a tendency of the script to open up more plot holes by overcomplicating certain scenes in order to provide extra tension. For example, there’s a certain moment on a boat where Tom falls overboard and then bumps his head on a heavy cinderblock anchor. Despite a potentially fatal injury, he is still able to climb safely back into his vessel.

It’s such events that instantly break my immersion, reminding me that though the setting is very real, the narrative is utterly fictitious and defies logic for the sake of cheap thrills. To me, the best stories in these types of drama or thriller series have always been those that feel like they really could happen. In that aspect, Ripley utterly fails, but I could see this not being the biggest deal breaker for some viewers. I am always willing to look past a few flaws if the overall work is quality, and for the most part, Ripley manages to hang on to my interest.

However, pacing at times can also be an issue as the first two episodes are exceptionally slow, but after episode three I was certainly entertained enough to want to see the plot through to the end. The show manages to stimulate that strange part of your brain that finds entertainment within the karmic justice of the universe. Will Tom get away with his con or will his flawed personality and relaxed attitude spell his undoing? These are the questions that will always remain present at the back of your mind and drive you to keep pushing through and watch the next episode.

When we finally do reach the end of our story, I certainly was surprised at a few points. I was not expecting this given the nature of this genre which typically ends in one of two ways. While the final ending certainly does fall into one of these categories, it is executed quite well in my opinion, throwing in some nice foreshadowing throughout the series culminating in some satisfying payoffs.

Ripley isn’t the greatest psychological thriller out there, but what is presented here is executed well for the most part. Additionally, the overall style of the show certainly helps to distinguish itself from the crowd of other narratives competing for your attention.

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Ripley

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Good performances from cast
• Wonderful cinematography

Cons

• Plot holes ruin things
• Starts slow