Well, I have finally caught up with Ripley and have almost finished the show.
I hated the first episode, gorgeous photography but otherwise rather lacklustre. Thankfully it soon calmed down, a bit, with the long lingering, oh so meaningful, shots. becoming less frequent. At least until they go to Rome and there are all the classic tourist shots.
But, it did get on with the the actual story, which is, of course, fucking great. Although....most of the changes from the book dont work. They're all too old for a start, Scott is twice the age Matt Damon and Alain Delon were, Flynn is forty. They're meant to be in their early twenties, the whole set up makes far less sense if they are full grown adults. Putting Dickie & Marge definitively together makes her comparatively laid back approach to him disappearing makes little sense. And Dickie loved the robe in the book, it's part of what made Ripley think they were right together. Changing that becomes Dickie insulting Ripley and his taste, it totally changes their relationship. Did anyone think that Ripley was in love with Dickie here? Because he is in the book. Or at least he may well be. Ripley knows Dickie so well, so intimately, he doesn't need that absurd speech in the boat to know somethings up. Who would choose a moment they are stranded to suddenly go 'oh, by the way, I'm dumping you.' Ripley has become a sulky little child.
On the other hand, I did really like Freddie. Having a non-binary actor in the role really fits with the tone and themes of the book, a much more plausible pal than Philip Seymour-Hoffman (not that I would diss the Hoff).
(I realise that the above makes it sound like I hate it, I dont. Dakota Fanning is excellent, Flynn was too, if we accept him for being too old, It's still a great story and it's good to see more of it. And the photography is gorgeous)
