Ripley

Black and white might make “Ripley” seem colder from the outside, but it’s actually just more cinematically immersive, plunging you uncomfortably close to a psyche that feels unnervingly unstable. And Scott is a true tour de force of a disheartened character, so superficially cool and assured on the surface, it’s all just a performance, on top of a performance trying to mask the things underneath that are almost too much to bear.

If it’s not an instant classic like the Damon version, it’s much closer to one than it has any business being, and it’s among the most exciting shows of the year so far.

With those who find it initially slow, or the relentless monochrome beauty slightly exhausting or pretentious, I understand entirely. But stick with it; allow yourself to yield to both and let Ripley seduce you. There is magic at work here.

“Ripley” will likely be too slow for Netflix viewers looking for something with more tension, but it is a stunningly well-made piece of television with a pedigree behind the camera that rivals great feature filmmaking. And it impressively stands on its own, hitting many of the beats of the original book and its adaptations but doing so in a way that feels fresh enough to send a chill down your spine.

The finest thing TV has offered in many years.

It’s hard to imagine a Ripley more engaged with its characters or source material than what Zaillian has put together here. Ripley is as close as one can come to really knowing Tom Ripley.

While Patricia Highsmith’s novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” and the film it spawned were engrossing, “Ripley” takes the skill to a different level. .... A technicolor Italy is certainly attractive, but a black-and-white one demands attention. Zaillian doesn’t waste the conceit. He gets high drama from crashing waves and a performance from Scott that embraces more than 50 shades of gray.

By toning down the glamour in his mesmerizing adaptation, Zaillian heightens these unsettling questions. His is the darkest Ripley yet, lonelier and darker even than Highsmith’s, and deeper, too.

In Steven Zaillian’s “Ripley,” a gorgeous, witty, cinematic extravaganza chronicling the charlatan’s journey from a bleak existence in New York City to a luxurious one in Italy, the actor [Andrew Scott] expunges every trace of his considerable charm to produce a dour, awkward Tom Ripley whose joyless smile is as false as the signatures he fakes. This is, to be clear, a fantastic (and pointed) choice.

Carried by its careful adherence to a battle-tested story, Scott’s complex central performance and some of the most breathtaking photography the small screen has to offer, Ripley is a steady yet propulsive descent into murky morality.

Individual episodes can be slow, almost languid, and are often heavy with long stretches of dialogue and silent sequences of voyeuristic pursuit. But the pacing works overall because Ripley nails moments of violent catharsis that puncture the prevailing tension, and because it’s simultaneously so wickedly funny.

Newcomers to the story can anticipate a feast for the eyes and ears led by Andrew Scott, who sells his antihero well, even if the script meanders from Tom Ripley far more than the novel. On a craft level, Ripley is peerless – easily the most beautiful TV show of the last five years. Watch it in spaced-out installments to get the most bang for your buck, and if you haven’t read the novel yet, read it after, not before.

When the credits roll, there’s still a lot we don’t know about Tom and his past, made particularly frustrating by the fact that you can’t really trust anything the character says in the show. But those things are easily forgivable, as Ripley’s gorgeous visuals and immaculate acting make those flaws seem irrelevant. This isn’t just one of the best Highsmith adaptations ever; Ripley is easily one of the best shows Netflix has ever done.

While some might be put off by “Ripley’s” measured tempo and its detached icicle of a protagonist, noir fans won’t be and will admire how effectively it revives an often overworked genre. Simply put, “Ripley” nails it.

Zaillian’s telling may not feel as intensely alive as Minghella’s, but the cool disposition he brings to Ripley’s cynical, self-serving brutality — all so he can lead an empty life that only looks rich — speaks to the story’s sneakiest interpretation: the dangers of the disillusioned white man. And isn’t that the most dangerous animal of all?

The pacing is really the biggest issue holding the series back, especially early on. But push through, and it really is a visual feast, with a leading performance that’s an instant Emmy nomination and a sharp eye for humanity’s dark underbelly, its grotesquerie almost beautiful in this light.

The acting and writing somehow rival that loftily ambitious aesthetic, at least for two particular characters in the closing episodes. Though Ripley drags at times early in its run (or at least until you’re accustomed to its distinctive rhythm), its back end never ceases to entertain as a grieving Marge interjects at the lavish Venice mansion Ripley has weaseled into his possession.

As the series goes on, one starts to appreciate its aloofness, the way it stands in such confident contrast to Minghella’s lush vision. .... Zaillian has no time, or perhaps no tolerance, for that which may humanize Ripley or place him in gentler context. The point is that Ripley will seek out any healthier body, anything functioning higher than mere subsistence, and make it his own. The steely execution of Ripley, both disappointing and invigorating, makes its case.

We do admit that Ripley gets off to a bit of a sleepy start. But we’re intrigued by both Scott’s take on Tom Ripley and Zaillian’s decision to give Patricia Highsmith’s story a noirish patina.

It is so cinematic that it feels less like a TV series and more like a very long film.

He [Steven Zaillian] has provided the perfect platform for Scott to bring the thrills and chills. Forget Hot Priest – ice-cool Ripley is the man in black (and white) he was born to play.

[Steven Zaillian] takes good advantage of the length afforded by serial TV in a number of satisfying ways. He uses the time — he has eight episodes — to give us a deep view of Ripley himself, played effectively and with phenomenal chill by Andrew Scott.

A picturesque portrait of a serial killer, this is less romance-with-a-sting-in-its-tail than it is pure sting. Its gloomy tone won’t suit everyone, but it’s rare to see film noir this exquisitely crafted on TV.

Aside from some slight plot alterations, Zaillian's love for the source material truly shines through with characters appearing highly accurate to their literary counterparts and the execution mirroring the mercurial psychological traits of Ripley's character.

Andrew Scott excels as a ccn man who makes life hell for Dakota Fanning and Johnny Flynn in Steve Zaillian’s partly exhilarating, partly exasperating slow burn of a series (it’s eight hours) that builds tremendous suspense as evil rots in the gorgeous Italian sun.

That slow burn won’t be for everyone, but those drawn into “Ripley’s” rhythms should find themselves wolfing down episodes in rapid succession. If they do, give the credit, primarily, to the talented Messrs. Zaillian and Scott.

While its subtext may be less layered than that of the 1999 film, the series does manage to sustain tension despite its languid pace. Ripley boasts an eerie atmosphere, stunning cinematography, and a thoughtful commentary on the relationship between life and art that’s distinctly its own.

A straightforward and involving, if somewhat cold-blooded, adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”

Those with a nostalgic love for a certain sort of cinematic experience are likely to be strong fans of the highly controlled, hermetic “Ripley.”

Gorgeously realized yet torpid, ultimately a bit vapid eight-part drama.

From a purely visual standpoint, "Ripley" is one of the best original shows Netflix has to offer. Story-wise, it feels slightly lopsided — as if there's not quite enough here to sustain eight episodes. And yet, should Zaillian and Netflix continue onward and adapt Highsmith's other Ripley novels into new seasons, I'd gladly return to this world. I want to see what Tom Ripley gets up to next.

Overall, "Ripley" feels like a style-over-substance exercise for Scott and Zaillian — a painstakingly artistic one at that — rehashing a story already told several times on the big and small screen. However, there's definitely potential to expand the character's journey in this singular milieu, and the finale certainly prepares the ground for more to come if there's a demand for it.

What the series lacks in carnal energy, it makes up for with an indelible visual language courtesy of director of photography Robert Elswit.

Ripley isn’t at all the disaster it could have been, primarily because its source material is so strong that you’d have to be incredibly dense to screw it up too badly. But it’s haunted by the spirit of past adaptations, unable to wrestle free from the shackles of earlier perfection.

Other than unnecessarily elongating the story and filming it in black and white, Netflix’s adaptation does nothing to improve on the Oscar-nominated film that already exists.

Ripley boasts beautiful cinematography and a strong lead performance, but it stretches its story out so thin, it ruins the thrills.

Ultimately, Ripley is less than the sum of its parts. On the one hand, it features impressive black and white filmmaking that places us in these backdrops so vividly that we can almost taste the sea air. .... However, these highs are the exception, not the rule. Much like its bland protagonist, this series feels vague, unsure if it wants to be a thrilling caper, thoughtful tone piece, or something else entirely.

Unfortunately, this version of the story is problematic from the outset, in large part because of some curious casting choices, as well as a tendency by the greatly talented Zaillian to indulge in a number of overlong sequences that are initially intriguing but eventually wear out one’s patience.

Twisted and deeply disturbing, this “Ripley” feels more sinister and stilted than its predecessors, making the show arduous rather than enticing.

Andrew Scott is great in Ripley, Netflix’s new take on Patricia Highsmith’s literary creation. Unfortunately, his casting is the only smart decision here.

There's no denying Scott is very good at playing Ripley. If only this Tom Ripley did anything remotely interesting. The writing just isn't up to par. The plot moves at a glacial pace and the dialogue is stilted and unbelievable.