The much anticipated ‘Ripley’ is now streaming on Netflix. The show stars Andrew Scott in the lead role and has eight episodes in the first season. ‘Ripley’ is based on the popular crime novel ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’
by Patricia Highsmith. While Ripley is unique in its treatment and execution, it draws heavy comparison with an earlier adaptation of the same book.
‘Ripley’ is directed by Steven Zaillian and is shot totally in black and white. It is definitely a choice that has affected much in the aesthetic environment of the show. It looks awesome, the cinematography is dumbfounding and it is one of the USPs of Ripley. The direction style is praised as highly Hitchcockian by audiences and even though there are some dead, boring spaces in the show, it still pulls off with Hitchcock-like suspense and thrill. It is dark to its very core, and it is something that the audience loves more than anything. Andrew Scott’s performance is another key point that is drawing attraction from viewers.
But ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, directed by Anthony Minghella and starring Matt Damon, is still regarded as a more grounded, real adaptation of the novel. Andrew Scott is known for the superb, subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle homoeroticism in his movies and shows. ‘Ripley’ has none of that, while Matt Damon’s Ripley boasts a clever display of homoeroticism.
But if you have watched Matt Damon’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, and liked it, it is very less likely that you will dislike Ripley. It is a new approach, a new style of storytelling and you will love it. If you haven’t watched it, go for it this weekend.