PSYCHOPATHS IN FACT & FICTION
  • Home
  • Chameleons
    • Why Care?
    • Guilt
    • Identifying
    • Psychotic vs Psychopathic
    • Are Psychopaths Evil?
    • The Psychopath's Brain
  • Criminal Psychopath Quotes
  • Psychopath movies & quotes
    • Movie Sexy Beast
    • Movie Leon The Professional
    • Movie There Will Be Blood
    • Movie Se7en
    • Silence of the Lambs
    • Movie Reservoir Dogs
    • Movie The Talented Mr. Ripley
    • Movie Collateral
    • Movie Kalifornia
    • Movie Heat
    • Movie Primal Fear
    • Movie Fargo
    • Movie Mr Brooks
    • Movie Misery
    • Movie Fatal Attraction
    • Movie Basic Instinct
    • Movie Malice
    • Movie Cape Fear
    • Movie Monster
    • Movie Road to Perdition
  • Mass Murder
  • Videos
    • Criminal psychopaths
    • Non-criminal psychopaths
    • Childhood traits
  • Gurus
  • Spouses
  • Psychopaths in Novels
    • Novels - Robin Roughley
    • Novels - Maggie James
    • Novels - Catherine Lee
    • Novels - Tracy Tonkinson
    • Novels - Chariss K. Walker
    • The Remorseless Trilogy
    • The Hack Trilogy
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Author Template
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy

The Talented Mr. Ripley -  Ripley (Matt Damon)

Picture
This is a psychological thriller adapted for for the big screen from the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, the first of a trilogy published in the fifties. This well written script does the novel full justice, and Matt Damon is well cast in the titular role - he pulls off the psychopath's exploits with real flare.

An intelligent movie and Ripley is one of those endearing sorts of villain who has the audience rooting for him even though he is clearly evil: it happens in real life more often than we think.

The way he insinuates himself into the lives of Marge (Gwynneth Paltrow) and Dickie (Jude Law in fine form), boldly lying, manipulating and cheating his way through the entire movie, is classic psychopathic behaviour.

He not only dissembles from the outset to live a life beyond his own means, he literally assumes another character's identity, demonstrating the chameleon-like nature of the beast.

The film met mixed reviews with many comparing the adaption negatively with the novel. I personally take all adaptations at face value - there is little point comparing two totally different forms of media. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Verdict:

Damon is a natural in this role - frighteningly normal on the surface but pure menace beneath his attractive facade.

Classic Quote:
"Well, whatever you do, however terrible, however hurtful, it all makes sense, doesn't it, in your head. You never meet anybody that thinks they're a bad person."


Back to list

Next psychopath

NEWSLETTER - CONTACT - PRIVACY POLICY  - Cookies Policy - THE HACK Trilogy  - The REMORSELESS Trilogy - THE WIDOW

For Fans of Thriller, Suspense and Crime Fiction, and similar Movies - with loads of True Crime including info on real life psychopaths too. If you like to curl up with a good psychopath in print or on screen then welcome! If you are researching psychopaths this is a good place to start. If you are a published author and would like to feature your own book details or include excerpts from your work, or you blog your reviews then let us know. All images and video clips used on this site are purely for educational and promotional purposes and used under the fair use policy. If you own the copyright to any material here and object to having it appear on this site then please use the contact form to notify the webmaster. All original material is copyright Will Patching and should not be copied or posted elsewhere without attribution and links to this site. Thank you! Links from this site include Amazon Associate and Google Adsense advertisements accruing income for the benefit of the author. Read the site Privacy Policy here.
  • Home
  • Chameleons
    • Why Care?
    • Guilt
    • Identifying
    • Psychotic vs Psychopathic
    • Are Psychopaths Evil?
    • The Psychopath's Brain
  • Criminal Psychopath Quotes
  • Psychopath movies & quotes
    • Movie Sexy Beast
    • Movie Leon The Professional
    • Movie There Will Be Blood
    • Movie Se7en
    • Silence of the Lambs
    • Movie Reservoir Dogs
    • Movie The Talented Mr. Ripley
    • Movie Collateral
    • Movie Kalifornia
    • Movie Heat
    • Movie Primal Fear
    • Movie Fargo
    • Movie Mr Brooks
    • Movie Misery
    • Movie Fatal Attraction
    • Movie Basic Instinct
    • Movie Malice
    • Movie Cape Fear
    • Movie Monster
    • Movie Road to Perdition
  • Mass Murder
  • Videos
    • Criminal psychopaths
    • Non-criminal psychopaths
    • Childhood traits
  • Gurus
  • Spouses
  • Psychopaths in Novels
    • Novels - Robin Roughley
    • Novels - Maggie James
    • Novels - Catherine Lee
    • Novels - Tracy Tonkinson
    • Novels - Chariss K. Walker
    • The Remorseless Trilogy
    • The Hack Trilogy
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Author Template
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy