Ripley review: Andrew Scott is captivating as the talented killer

Ripley is a new Netflix series that stars Andrew Scott as the talented killer and con artist, and while the pace is slow across eight episodes, patience is rewarded in a show that’s both a twisted thriller and rich character study.

Tom Ripley debuted in Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, the first of five books she wrote about a character who intrigued and terrified readers in equal measure.

That first tale — which serves as something of an origin story for the character — has been adapted multiple times. First on celluloid with the 1960 French film Plein Soleil, with Alain Delon in the lead. And most famously in the 1999 American version, where Matt Damon so memorably plays the title character opposite Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Now Netflix is getting in on the Ripley act, via a mini-series both written and directed by Schindler’s List scribe Steven Zaillian, with All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott delivering a chilling central performance as the killer you don’t see coming.

What is Ripley about?

The show sticks closely to the story and structure of the source material, kicking off in New York, where Tom Ripley is busy conning marks through a scam involving dodgy cheques and a fake collection agency. But it’s small time, and Tom lives a lonely and isolated existence.

That changes when a Private Detective — working on behalf of the wealthy Greenleaf family — comes calling with a wild opportunity. The Greenleafs are worried about their son Dickie, who is sailing and drinking his way around Italy, all while avoiding any and all responsibility.

Believing Tom to be Dickie’s friend, they make an offer he can’t refuse — head to the Italian town of Atrani on the Amalfi coast, and bring back their boy. In exchange, the Greenleafs pay for travel, expenses, and even a salary. Meaning that by the end of Episode 1, Tom is convincing Dickie (Johnny Flynn) that they are more than just acquaintances who met at a party years previous, then promptly moving into his apartment. And stealing his nicest pen.

Dickie’s girlfriend Marjorie Sherwood (Dakota Fanning) is immediately suspicious of their shifty interloper. As is their friend Freddie Miles (Eliot Sumner), who quickly smells a rat. But poor, sweet, innocent Dickie doesn’t see the threat, or sense any danger, and that trusting nature is ultimately his downfall.

Who is the talented Tom Ripley?

Ripley is a cracking thriller during the show’s first couple of episodes. Then, as proceedings progress, the series delves further into Tom’s psyche. The character is at the center of every scene, thereby encouraging the audience to see events through his eyes, and troubling world view.

Ripley also exists in the shadows throughout the eight episodes, and spends chunks of time looking longingly — or suspiciously — through doors and windows, eyeing an everyday existence that remains steadfastly out of his reach.

Ripley isn’t comfortable in his own skin, and seems to enjoy making those around him feel that discomfort. He’s also a master manipulator, able to bend those same folk to his will then dispensing of them when they approach the truth, or catch a glimpse of the real Tom Ripley, making the character both a fascinating protagonist and deeply alarming antagonist.

One who is brought to life in captivating fashion by Andrew Scott. The Irish actor went large when playing literary villain Moriarty in Sherlock. But here he reins the histrionics in, delivering an understated performance that manages to be both charming and creepy, frequently in the same scene. And sometimes over the course of a single sentence. You won’t like Tom Ripley. But equally, you won’t be able to take your eyes off him.

Stately pace that might frustrate

Scott delivers a spellbinding performance, his Ripley slow, deliberate, and intentional — words that could be used to describe the show itself. The first half of the series is concerned with Ripley’s crimes, while the second half revolves around the investigation into those misdeeds. Both of which take their time.

There are lengthy conversations and interrogations. Multiple scenes of characters walking up endless flights of steps, then down them. And even an entire sequence dedicated to a man changing a lightbulb.

This stately pace certainly ratchets up the tension, most notably when the net closes in on Ripley. At times, the lack of speed seems to be what the show is about; a painstaking study of the horrific act of killing, followed by the practical — and time-consuming — business of cleaning up the resulting mess.

But said pace is also likely to test the patience of those watching, most notably during Episode 3, where a major event occurs, and Episode 5, when is all goes a bit Weekend at Bernie’s. Both instalments are beautifully shot, one by day in the blazing sunshine, the other at night, in scenes filled with a healthy dose of German Expressionism. But these key episodes also feel like they are unnecessarily dragged out.

Is Ripley good?

Tom Ripley is a monster, and Steven Zaillian’s scripts skilfully put us in that monster’s shoes. And worse still, inside his head. But it’s a tribute to Zaillian’s writing and directing — as well as the brilliance of Highsmith’s creation and Scott’s performance — that eight hours with this freak is bearable, at times entertaining, and on occasion even enjoyable.

The show straddles multiple genres throughout its run, from the aforementioned psychological thriller that morphs into police procedural, to a healthy dose of film noir, and even scenes that play like an Italian travelogue. Naples and Venice are shot in crisp black-and-white, as cold as the show’s protagonist. While there’s just one dash of color — at the end of Episode 5 — which proves to be a truly inspired closing shot.

The music and fashion also makes Ripley a feast for the ears and eyes. Score is used sparingly, with silence key to the narrative throughout — but the show is also soundtracked by beautiful American and Italian music of the time. While the sharp suits, stylish coats, and beautiful beach-wear is quite simply to die for.

Ripley score: 4/5

If you can cope with a show that saunters at a snail’s pace, Ripley is a compelling character study of a very bad man.

All eight episodes of Ripley are available on Netflix today (April 4, 2024). While for more titles new to streaming head here.