The Talented Mr. Ripley | Full-Length Reaction

Cool pick! If I remember rightly the book opens with Tom trying door to door tax scams, so it's immediately obvious he's scam-centric, whereas in the film I feel like they wanted him to seem more likeable off the bat. Both the film and the book have a good arc to his unravelling, I do feel like this changes the tone a little when it comes to him pushing what he can get away with. Not saying either book vs film is better in this case, Matt Damon does an amazing job imo but thought that's an interesting detail. I absolutely love crime / thrillers from this post-war(ish) pre-tech era where people could get away because of a missed telegram or some such. Mentioning Catch Me If You Can is a great call! Another book I rate like that is The Mysterious Mickey Finn on art forgers and more in 1930s Paris, wish they'd make a movie of that... any other recommendations of good films / stories wth this energy?

Your first question: Yes, it’s good - especially the first one: The Bourne Identity.

But with Meredith left alive, there are people who will know he impersonated Dickie. So he has to leave Italy and go live in Oklahoma, right?

I’d have taken Dickie’s money and gone to live in some adorable little town in Ecuador. Come on, Tom you idiot. Ecuador. Argentina. Egypt.

Why does Tom stay in Rome as Dickie, when he’s bound to run into people Dickie knows? Is he so convinced of his own role that he forgets he’s an impersonator until he’s confronted with the chance of being caught?

Hey, that was not self defense when Tom thwacked Dickie with the oar. That was rage.

I had forgotten how great this movie is! I’d love to see what you think of the recent mini-series, just called Ripley. So many excellent series, so little time.

Could Dickie and Marge’s life be any more picturesque? Maybe none of this would have happened if Dickie’s father had sent Tom ti retrieve his son from a bordello in Arkansas.

Third time I've watched this movie and it still caused anxiety and pissed me off lol. Still a good watch even if the end doesn't make you feel like justice was served. Spoilers in case anyone hasn't watched yet- Peter was the one person who saw and liked the real him but I think Tom couldn't get over the thrill of how far he got away with everything. Mentally unstable but also a narcissist. Loved Dickie, wanted to be Dickie. Keeps him 'alive' by pretending to be him. But like Frank said earlier in the movie that Tom is also stupid. There's no way he doesn't get caught and the fact that he ruined the 'Dickie killed himself' plan and killed off Peter to continue the lies is also part of his stupidity.

Peter and Marge deserved better. Of course I'm not condoning killing people that are morally dubious, but when you've been embedded in Tom's perspective for so long, it's kind of hard to fully disengage the part of you that tenses up when he's about to get caught. And to some extent (in the moment) justify his actions. The first time I watched it (albeit a much younger version of myself) I didn't find myself nearly as bothered by Freddie's demise as I ought to have been. It was through Marge that I momentarily came back to my senses. While I doubt that Dickie would've been a very good husband, her clear love, lack of closure and eventual realisation of what kind of person Tom truly is is haunting. But the one that really hit me was Peter. At the end, the choice of playing the audio of his murder somehow makes it worse than if we'd been shown it. When Tom entered a cabin alone, there was that split second where I wondered if maybe, just maybe, he'd left and didn't go through with it... and then the audio while just studying his face. Such a good movie, that never really left me, even though this is only my second watch since it came out.

Woah this movie was nothing like what I expected. I knew already about the plot twist but didnt anticipate the movie to go like that lmaooo your face when The Thing happened was hilarious. Great reaction as always!!

Also - this really reminds me how good of an actor Damon is. Good Will Hunting vs this? Great range, excited to see him in the odyssey coming up!

This is my second time watching this, and I enjoyed it more because the first time I was so stressed! Even though he’s terrible I was so tense every time he would get caught! But my question is, where does he go from here? Because Meredith thinks he is Dickie so word would spread he is alive….? And Peter would disappear or his body would be found and then Tom Ripley for suuuure is the suspect. Feel like Tom should have spared Peter and just taken himself out at the point 🙁 poor Peter. Love this movie though, it just slowlyyyyy comes to a boil, it’s amazing

The part at the end with the swinging mirrors symbolizing his fractured personality gives me chills. I kind of wonder if the dad was paying Tom off for killing his son in the end. Or if he didn’t really know, if he would have cared. Love the 1950s European flair of the movie, and the music works perfectly. Dickie was appropriately named lol, but Jude Law was so dynamic and charismatic in the role I wish he’d had more screen time.

Mr. Ripley is such a slimy movie for me...full of lies, deceit and murders. Just how far would a person go, not only for money, but to also become someone else and keep up a lie. I'm not sure why I watched it again!! 🤔 I definitely forgot how much Tom was attracted to Dickie, not in a romantic way though...definitely no romantic love. Tom definitely had a mix of very toxic feelings for Dickie...sexual attraction, obsessive fixation, and pathological envy. He didn't just adore Dickie; he wanted to consume him and completely absorb his lavish, carefree lifestyle. He covets his wealth, charm, status and social freedom. Tom Ripley is a true sociopath and psychopath and in your words, Frank...he is also TRASH!!!!

"Mister steal-your-girl." on the contrary!

I looked up the cost for airfare. Stacy. 💙 In 1958, New York → Italy was EXPENSIVE. This was the first year of regular transatlantic jet service, and flying was still luxury-only. 1958 airfare New York to Rome/Italy: BOAC Comet 4 Jet — launched Oct 4, 1958 One-way fare: $467 for a one-way ticket Round-trip: $867 Source: BOAC’s first jet service ads. The Comet 4 carried just 48 passengers in all-first-class layout 3671 What that means in today’s money: $467 in 1958 = ∼$5,100 today (2026 dollars) $867 round-trip = ∼$9,500 today Context: 1958: BOAC beat Pan Am by 3 weeks with the first jet service Oct 4, 1958. 10hr 22min westbound with a fuel stop in Gander Before jets: Propeller Stratocruisers took ∼20 hours and cost similar money Average U.S. yearly salary 1958: ∼$4,600. So a round-trip ticket was 19% of a year’s pay. 367101af For Tom Ripley in the movie: Set in late 1950s. Tom gets $1,000 from Mr. Greenleaf to “retrieve Dickie”. c4390510 That $1,000 would barely cover a round-trip ticket — $867 fare + hotel + meals + Italian tailoring. Ripley really was broke when he landed. Meanwhile in 2026: You can fly JFK→Rome for $274 one-way. Tom’s $1,000 in 1958 = ∼$10,900 today. You could buy 39 of those cheap 2026 tickets. Flying used to be for Dickie Greenleafs only. Now we’re all peasants with carry-ons.

This movie is set in the late 1950’s…not 1999. Plane travel would have been way more expensive.

The Jason Bourne movies are SO good. I’m pretty sure you would like them.

21:20 YES When I worked in personal wealth management, our clients were petrified of the day their kids would inherit their money! they just knew their kids were going to blow it and were reckless and selfish

1:01:10 reminded me of that louis and armand scene💀

Oooh, I love this movie!

This is gonna be so right up your alley! Finally some good classic movies again ❤️

this movie omg