Ripley's Game

Forget the homosexual anti-hero of Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr Ripley (1999), in Liliana Cavani's Ripley's Game, the older title character is not only more secure with his sexual preferences (hetro, in case you're wondering) but he's also far less troubled by those dastardly things like morality and conscience. Set in a gorgeous Northern Italy, Ripley's Game sees our protagonist (Malkovich in scenery chomping mode) playing games with an old cockney associate Reeves (Ray Winstone) and a terminally ill neighbour, Jonathan (Scott). Some three years after their last dealings, the uncouth Reeves requests Ripley assassinate a business rival in Berlin. Perplexed by his offer, Ripley decides that it would be great sport if he convinced the terminally ill, distinctly lawful Jonathan into taking on the job instead. But what starts out as a gruesome game for Ripley soon spirals into something far more dangerous for everyone involved.

Directed by Liliana Cavani (The Nightporter) Ripley's Game is a lusciously photographed but extraordinarily uneven. A rather strange blend of comedy (presumably unintentional) and drama, this is a movie which isn't quite sure what it is or where it's going. But what else do you expect when you allow John Malkovich to have a free hand? Redefining the word camp, he plays Ripley like the product of an unholy union of Hannibal Lector and that guy who reads the weather on Sky News. Yup, it's that kind of film.