"I always thought it would be better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody." -- Tom Ripley

After his Oscar winning success with The English Patient Anthony Minghella takes on this story, the first in a series of novels by noted author Patricia Highsmith. Minghella isn't the first director to bring this particular Highsmith novel to the screen, it was first done as Purple Noon in 1960 by writer/director Rene Clement. Minghella's adaptation is quite different than Clement's.

In Minghella's version, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) borrows a Princeton Blazer for a piano playing gig, and as a result is mis-identified as having attended Princeton by Herbert Greenleaf (James Rebhorn). Ripley doesn't correct the mistake and when asked if he knew Greenleaf's son Dickie, who also attended Princeton he lies easily to indicate he did. That's when Mr. Greenleaf makes Tom an offer that's impossible to refuse. An all-expenses paid trip to Italy to persuade Dickie to return home to the U.S.

Dickie (Jude Law) doesn't remember Tom, is having a blast in Italy, happily engaged to Marge Sherwood (Gwynneth Paltrow) and is adamant about not returning home. However Dickie and Tom conspire to string Mr. Greenleaf along, to keep the money rolling in just a bit longer, as Tom becomes part of Dickie's social group.

As he gets to know more about Dickie Tom realizes that this is the life for him. That becomes a problem when Mr. Greenleaf shuts off the flow of funds, having concluded that Tom has failed in his mission.

That's when Tom's ability to mimic almost anyone, and forge any signature allows him to assume Dickie Greenleaf's identity, after killing him of course. The only problems are those people who knew the real Dickie, or who knew Tom as Tom. One lie begets another. One murder leads to another.

Most of the critics rave about this movie. I thought it was good, intelligent, but not brilliant or worthy of the attention is had received. It is dark, but doesn't quite get into the truly insidious darkness of Highsmith's original character. Paltrow, ordinarly a lot of fun to watch in almost any role doesn't bring much to this, and doesn't do much with what little depth her role provides. On the other hand, Damon, who goes from the boring Ripley to the charismatic Greenleaf in the blink of an eye gives a very good performance. Jude Law is good, although not as good as others who were also nominated for Golden Globes for best supporting actor performance.

Not great, but worth checking out if you've seen all the other great movies out there.