Ripley - starts today on Netflix. Anyone fancy a discussion thread?

[Netaporter]

Based upon the book ‘The talented mr ripley’ by Patricia Highsmith Andrew Scott stars in this adaptation. It is filmed in B&W so interested to see how this differs from the glorious film starring Gwyneth, Jude and Matt Damon.

Going to start episode 1 later this morning.

radio 4 link He talks about the age issue here
Best of Today - Andrew Scott on playing the fascinating Talented Mr Ripley - BBC Sounds

I love the film but initially wondered why they had decided to make a series in to so many parts. Like others I wondered if Andrew Scott was a bit old to play Tom & I see that Jonny Flynn is in his early 40’s too- interesting that neither of them are American. It’s very dark (literally), compelling & full of foreboding. It has drawn me in but I yearn for a bit of colour to bring Italy to life!

I’m enjoying it (2 episodes in) but I think black and white is a mistake. It’s very cleverly filmed but such a shame to miss seeing the blue of the sea and the colours generally in such a stunning location. I’m finding it distracting thinking about how it would really look.

I love it, bar silly Freddie Fe-Miles.

It plays as if they’re trying to pass off Sting’s skinny 35-yr old daughter as a fat, macho ski jock. Mesmerising, not in a good way.

Phil Hoffmann RIP was a genius in the Jude Law one. At least they weren’t trying to take his crown.

ps the 1950s did non-binary, very chic it was too. They didn’t do My Truth Snigger Triggers.

For anyone who thinks that the scenery is wasted on black and white, I can thoroughly recommend Plein Soleil, the French version of the book, in glorious technicolour, with a young, beautiful, and largely topless Alain Delon as Ripley. It's amazingly tense.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Noon

I do think that Jude Law as Dickie was brilliantly cast in the Minghella film though.

I love the Minghella film. I've seen it so many times.
I'm not sure about this tbh.
They all seem too old.
The connection with Dickies father seemed a bit unlikely, whereas in the film, Ripley just rolls with the mistaken identity from the blazer.
It's sad not seeing the Amalfie Coasr in glorious technicolour too.

I think he was born to play it. His best role imho.

I was excited to try this. I'd never (shock!) Seen the Jude Law film but had heard about the similarities in plot to Saltburn, which I loved.
I also love Andrew Scott (although starting to think it's not AS, but more the priest that I actually love)

Anyway, I couldn't get past the first episode. Far too dark, I was craving colour as soon as he arrived in Italy, and o could tell AS was too old even without seeing the film.

So I switched it off and watched the film instead. I LOVED it. Jude Law was delicious, Matt was just the right amount of creepy. Loved Gwen.

I feel I might go back to the series to see how it plays out, but with such a great movie I don't really see the need for it. I do need to read the book now though.

@Eminybob i think a bit like One Day, for those of us who are older, the film was just so perfectly set and cast it doesn’t need redoing. So you’ll end up with the ones who come to it with fresh eyes and love it or those of us who are sceptical but the lure of AS is too strong… I’m going to give it another go but when I’ve got the time to watch it properly.

i havent seen the Talented Mr Ripley who years so can't compare

I’ve been comparing to Belfast where being in black and white works really well. It seems to be trying to be clever/different for the sake of it.

We did the first episode of this last night, but couldn't bring ourselves to go on to the next one. (With most good ones, it's stopping that's the problem ...)

Lacked any hook for me so far, and like others it seems such a waste to be filming in these locations in B&W.

Will try episode 2 tonight and then decide whether to continue or not.

The Amalfi coast is such a decadent, luxurious location in terms of colour and warmth, so the black and white is really putting me off.

It is isn't it. I was expecting it to go from black and white in New York to glorious technicolour when he got to Italy, a la Wizard of Oz. I was really disappointed.

Finished last night 3am. The ending is just superb.

Can't bring myself to watch it 😪. Loved all the colourful books too much and I just can't see him as Ripley! I fell for the one in the books and can't be tempted!

Haven't watched this yet although tempted as am a Johnny Flynn fan.

AS not so much!

Will stick with it as I love the story and AS but OMG why cast (nearly) middle aged men in those roles? It just doesn’t work with the plot at all.
And Freddie. Aggressively confident over privileged jock. Played by a miserable woman? I am glad the characters said Freddie was a guy several times or would have assumed they just decided to play him as a woman. Makes no sense that she is obviously a woman and they don’t notice.
it’s all a bit wanky. Emperor’s new clothes. There’s no way this compares to golden era Jude Law, awkward young Matt Damon and the exquisite performance of PSH.
Oh is it on Della Croce just off the Corso?

I’m trying to stay with it. The black and white gives it a dated vintage feel I suppose. It’s one of my favourite books.

It's ridiculous that they've made it in black and white.
Heard someone on radio 4 gushing embarrassing to Andrew Scott about how much better he is than Matt Damon; completely unjustified, now I've watched (fell asleep to) an episode.

I think it's glorious. The cinematography is stunning. And I'm a bit fan of the film. And hoping that the length will allow more from the book. The Stings non binary daughter casting is odd but I guess they are trying to bring out the queer side more, which does chime with Patricia Highsmiths life. I'd tend to agree that Philip Seymour Hoffman was peerless in that role though.

I've watched the first episode and I'm not crazy about it.

I've not read the books, but the film is one of my favourites. Brilliant from start to finish. I agree that the actors are too old. Also, the actors playing Dicky and March just aren't beautiful enough. I read a review of the film which said that Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow looked like they'd been dipped in gold. They just exuded wealth, privilege and beauty. Jude Law was so charismatic as Dicky. When Marge said that he was like the sun shining on you, you could really see it. This actor seems dull by comparison but I'll wait to see how it develops.

Also, Tom seems obviously shifty to me. That wasn't the case with Matt Damon's Tom. He seemed gauche and geeky, but not like a con man. Then again, the character in the film wasn't a con man, was he? I guess I shouldn't keep comparing it to the film but I can't help it!

And yes, making it in black and white seems pretentious and misses out on the glorious sunshine and blue of the sea. It's all a bit drab, compared to the sensuality of the film. There I go again making the comparison!

I'm on episode 3. It's so drab. They're all drab and dreary, not the beautiful young things in the Talented Mr Ripley.

Oh is it on Della Croce just off the Corso?

My favourite line from the film!

Like when Marge sees Tom mixing a cocktail in one of the Venice scenes towards the end. "When I first met you, you couldn't even make a Martini. But look at you now. To the manor born."

I'm on ep5..I think you have to try not to compare to the film.

It is very slow but I like the slow build. I think the black and white is about film noir and trying to hark back to old Hitchcock films. I do think it's a shame for the beautiful colours of Italy but I think it's fair they're trying to do something with the black and white choice.

Freddie's casting was jarring for me I'm afraid. I thought Freddie was being played as a female/lesbian to start with, then realised we were supposed to think they're male.

I don't want to do spoilers but there's a lot of time given to details and the aftermath of 'events'. I quite like this aspect. Shows what a psycho he is in a real cold mundane way. And I think the less glamorous look of Ripley and Dickie and Marg goes along with this too. Murder and crime is really more mundane and gritty and all the more horrible for it.

Ive not read the books but would quite like to.