Steven Zaillian’s Ripley is a compelling character study that feels like a classic Hitchcock film. It might just be the best adaptation of the book as Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley comes to life with haunting and nuanced narrative beats from the first frame to the last.
So much of this story relies on Andrew Scott’s performance. As a complex individual whose actions have long been studied and his motives analyzed, it was always going to be up to Scott to bring pieces of the story to life with his performances to sell something beyond the words on the page. And since Scott is no stranger to brilliantly thrilling performances, it was a no-brainer that he would nail the role with the quietly captivating expertise he possesses a ton of.
The Performances Make Ripley a Must-Watch Series
Zaillian’s directing is impeccable. There’s no further way to put it other than noting that each decision works intrinsically to sell something worth its salt. But it’s hard to imagine that the show would remain memorable without Andrew Scott’s performance. When it comes to the character in the literary world, so much analysis boils down to the how and why of his inner workings. And in that sense, the character isn’t one to look at through a black and white lens.
As an actor, Scott is exceptional at teetering the grey lines that make viewers question and probe every little decision. He shows us the mechanisms in Ripley’s head with such gripping performances that it’s hard to look away from what Scott is exhibiting, even for someone who’s faint-hearted like I am. He’s the type of meticulous performer who ensures that no two of his roles are ever the same, even if characters have similarities. And while Scott has played various characters, what he does with Tom Ripley feels entirely unique. (If he isn’t nominated for all the awards in limited series categories then it’d be an absolute atrocity.)
But Scott isn’t the only astounding performer on the series. Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, Maurizio Lombardi, Eliot Sumner, and every single performer we see in the series does something exceptional. How they become their characters and where they take them from when we first see them to their last scene completes the entire series remarkably. And to see how they each bring the book characters to life while adding their distinct mannerisms and exhibitions is no small feat.
Further, the series’ darker elements make it hard to binge, but at the same time, it’s more exhilarating to watch the slow descend toward the tamed madness we find him falling into. It makes every moment more worthy of analysis and excavation when we take our time looking at every episode with careful attention and isolated from the bigger picture first. And when we do eventually look back on the entire thing and how it pans out, it makes for riveting television in every way.
Netflix’s Ripley isn’t for everybody, but it’s a brilliant adaptation from start to finish that reminds us of film noir’s addictive nature when there’s no humor in the mix. The cinematography, Jeff Russo’s distinct score, the scenic moments, the small details—everything contributes to making the show a worthy accomplishment on all fronts.
Ripley is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
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