 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Talented Mr. Ripley
- Review Date: October 31, 2005
- R
- Genre: Drama
- 1999
Common Sense Media says
Full of murder and deceit; too violent for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is about a man posing as another to acquire his wealth and lifestyle – a process that involves homoerotic affairs, murder, and countless lies. Characters drink, smoke, have sex, lie, curse, get in fights and kill one another. Particularly upsetting are two of the murders that involve Tom bludgeoning characters to death. The pacing of the film is rather slow and will likely bore younger viewers used to more contemporary storytelling - despite the presence of teen idol actors.
What's the story?
Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel of the same name, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY tells the story of Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a nobody New Yorker hired by the wealthy father of Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) to convince Dickie to quit Europe and return to New York. The errand fails, however, and once Tom finds himself soaking up the luxury that characterizes the lives of Dickie and his expatriate friends, he can't bare to tear himself away. Tom, whose talents include forgery and impersonations, grows obsessed with Dickie and his fiancée Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow). After Tom is dismissed by Dickie as "a bore," Tom's obsession turns him from mildly creepy to downright criminal.
Is it any good?
The Talented Mr. Ripley is extremely well-executed at most levels. The cast is exceptional throughout, and Matt Damon proves that he is quite capable of playing a sinister role convincingly. Playing the well-heeled, articulate Marge works well for Paltrow, displaying her usual regal presence.
Perhaps the best part about this movie is its exquisite recreation of 1950s Europe. The soundtrack, featuring original music by Gabriel Yared, is rather intoxicating, as viewers are treated to a smorgasbord of sumptuous scenery. Despite its rather excellent production values, Mr. Ripley tends to feel a bit slow. The plot takes a while to unfold, and viewers trained to watch recent films may find it tedious at times. Younger viewers, in particular, will not likely be appreciative of the plot's complexities and might find themselves squirming in their seats within the first hour.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about issues of truth and fiction. Tom Ripley is in some ways a "self-made man," and while his tactics are unsavory, his effort seems in some ways related to the American ideal of being able to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Why is Dickie and Marge's life so appealing to Tom? How could he have attained the life he tries to write himself into without lying, cheating, and mudering? What, if anything, do we know about the real Tom Ripley?
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Teen, 13 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
I cried
All the actors did a wonderful job! I could see it over and over again! brilliant film!
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Educator and Parent of 9 year old
August 14, 2009
AGE
No way
I read in the 10 Commandments that you shouldn't lie or murder. Life's pretty hard for Tom, eh? But, he's a great piano player.
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Teen, 13 years old
November 28, 2010
AGE
Good movie, but read the book first
I absolutely love the book, so of course I had to see the movie. It was surprisingly good. The actors were all good and the plot was adapted quite well, it was just missing a little of the life the book had. It's very violent, and kids might find the murders disturbing. Then there's a lot of sexual content. It's unclear if Tom(Mr. Ripley) has a sexual interest in Dickie or if its only that he wants to become Dikie, there's a couple affairs going on, and there's the tom and peter parts. Though I think what makes it iffy for kids is the whole storyline: that Tom becomes obsessed with the wealthy lifestyle and then is indifferent to lying, murdering, and becoming someone else to obtain it.
What other families should know:
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Teen, 16 years old
July 27, 2009
AGE
What other families should know:
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Teen, 16 years old
July 21, 2009
AGE
Amazing!
I absolutely adore this film! I read the book years ago and when I discovered there was a movie I had to see it... I reccomend it highly to anybody who can handle violence and sinister beings.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Why make this junk
Horrible yuck. Full of murder, lies, homosexuality. No plot to speak of and just yicky.
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Parent of 17 year old
December 27, 2009
AGE
What other families should know:
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Teen, 16 years old
July 7, 2012
AGE
Great Thriller but Dark Feeling Throughout Movie
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a great movie, but has a very dark, dark, dark feeling throughout it. The movie contains great acting and wonderful script, but multiple things parents should take in consideration before letting their kids watch the movie. Talk about homosexuality, brief full-male nudity (hard to see anything "serious" though), strong violence (including semi-gore murders), and mild language, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a great thriller that should only be watched by mature teens.
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Teen, 16 years old
October 24, 2012
AGE
Fantastically exicuted, Though quite creepy.
From an art point of view, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a fantastic movie. A riveting, though creepy story well executed with a fantastically skilled cast.
However, there are some notably creepy scenes (Tom tries to sleep upon Dickies chest, as well as trying to have a bath with him) which may cause younger viewers to become... well, not scared but creeped out. There is a total of three murders, with two of them being bludgeons and one the throttling of a man. It should be noted that the movie is effectively decided in half: the first is quite slow, however the second is much faster paced.
Overall, an interesting study into the makings of a person, success, desire, identity and deceit.
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Teen, 13 years old
April 27, 2013
AGE
Must See
Seeing this movie really depends on the child. I loved it but there were moments where I had to look away because of violence and nudity. Violence comes up in this movie a lot and for some kids it can be very scary so be aware. The nudity is very brief but there are other times in the film that can be uncomfortable because of the topic of sex.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Anthony Minghella |
| Cast: | Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Matt Damon |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 139 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 12, 1999 |
| DVD release date: | August 7, 2000 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | violence, language and brief nudity |
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