The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
I really liked the almost mellow slow tempo of this film. It is long and only has a few very dramatic scenes, but there is a constant lingering tension sensation and feeling of anxiety underneath. Tom is rolling from one planned coincidence to the next and all his lies is just on the edge of exploding in his face, but he always manages to escape. But at terrible costs.
I always like films that explore identity in some fashion and this clearly deals with someone who tries to fake his whole identity by impersonating others. As is also said a couple times in the film, Tom remains a mystery. We never see his real self or really get to understand what drives him to do this. Is it just that he is attracted to the rich lifestyle? Or is it his homosexuality, which was likely problematic to be in the 50s, that leads him to try and create a fake identity and personality instead? That Tom remains a mystery seems to be the main of this movie, but maybe too much remains hidden. I really like the theme and atmosphere of this movie, but it is just shy of hitting the real high marks for me.
Watched for Tildes movie of the week
Rating: 4