Ripley review: The talented Mr. Scott shines in Netflix's period adaptation
Netflix’s latest eight-part crime drama, Ripley, is hardly the first adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. However, it is hard not to call it the best adaptation of the novel that has come out over the years. If that statement seems too strong, check out the solid performance that Sherlock and Fleabag star Andrew Scott delivered.
Released on April 4, 2024, Ripley is the highly anticipated adaptation of the famous character, who has been portrayed by industry veterans like Jon Malkovich and Matt Damon before. It follows the exploits of Tom Ripley, a grifter in early 1960s New York who gets an opportunity to travel to Italy to try to convince a rich industrialist’s son to come home.
For those who have watched the 1999 film starring Damon, the story will surely not be surprising, but the treatment definitely will. Stylish, unapologetic, and brimming with conviction and confidence, Academy Award winner Steve Zaillian’s version of Ripley may be Netflix’s most exciting entry this year.
It is hard to move your eyes away from a sincere Andrew Scott as he steps in the shoes of Mr. Ripley
It is hard to dissociate from Andrew Scott's character from the moment the show begins. Scott's introduction in the first episode is interesting enough, but it is not over the top, something that creator Steve Zaillian has done very well throughout the eight-episode series.
Nothing about Andrew Scott feels like excess. However, it is also hard to ignore the character and the nuances that accompany it. The series is deliberately paced, but it does not take long to introduce our primary plot point, a job from Dickie Greenleaf’s father to bring his son home, setting in motion a chain of events that would go on for the next seven episodes.
Scott is soon thrust into the black-and-white world of 1960s Italy, which also features some extremely talented actors alongside the Fleabag star. By the second or third episode, it would be clear to most viewers that it is not Andrew Scott alone whose acting skills are gleaming, but the clever, methodical direction and scripting that sees others like Dakota Fanning and Johnny Flynn deliver some of their finest performances.
But it is hard to move your eyes away from a sincere Andrew Scott as he steps in the shoes of Mr. Ripley and adapts, improvises, and succeeds as the morally ambiguous character on a dark path. There are few things more exciting than rooting for the conventionally bad guy, but Andrew Scott makes it easier than most would have.
The look of the series plays a large part in its build-up, and so does the pacing
Ripley is not shot in the most conventional way. Rather, its black and white frames, the subtle games with shadows, and several overburdened frames take viewers down on a journey back to the 1940s Film Noirs, where such morally ambiguous characters were a norm.
But the beautifully shot series is not trying to replicate Film Noirs of the past. Rather, it tries to borrow elements that are necessary but discard a few while also creating a few of its own—like the deep-focus lenses with larger apertures that often separate the characters from their backdrops. This is also used extensively on Tom, as he is never depicted as an extension of his background but as a moving part inside it.
The sound is equally well-fitted for the role, but the pacing is really a standout. As Andrew Scott hinted earlier about the "TikTok generation," this series is not an adrenaline-filled thriller. It is a thriller to the right eyes and minds. It is deliberate, well-paced, and filled with instances that rely on the more subtle aspects of acting, i.e., the spaces in between.
All in all, the latest thriller is an excellent adaptation—perhaps as good as it gets for any streaming platform—and it is worth watching for anyone interested in the genre.
All eight episodes of Ripley are now streaming on Netflix.