The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

You’ll spend most of The Talented Mr. Ripley rooting for the shadiest guy in Italy, and Anthony Minghella knows exactly how to make you do it. Matt Damon plays Tom as a nervous, eager mimic who studies jazz records and fake accents just to belong, and his hungry little smile gets creepier every time it shows up. Jude Law is magnetic as Dickie, a golden boy who treats people like vacation souvenirs. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Freddie walks in, sees through Tom immediately, and steals every scene with a lazy grin. Gwyneth Paltrow gives Marge real heartbreak, and Cate Blanchett is a bright spark in a small part. The problem is the last hour. Once the story leaves the sunny coast, it juggles so many lies in Rome and Venice that the tension slackens, and 139 minutes starts to show. It made $138 million worldwide on a reported $40M. An 8.3 because it’s a gorgeous, chilly character study that runs long. $766.47 says you catch yourself copying a friend’s laugh within a week and hope nobody noticed.

What works: Matt Damon, Jude Law and Philip Seymour Hoffman are all excellent, and the sunny Italian setting makes the dread even sharper.

What doesn’t: The final hour gets tangled in too many lies and side characters, and the long runtime drains some of the suspense.

Who it’s for: Fans of slow, stylish thrillers who like a main character they’re not sure they should be cheering for.