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Film: The Talented Mr. Ripley (Minghella version)

Substantially different than the Netflix version and the book, but it works well. 

The most immediately different take is the conception of the Dickie Greenleaf character. Jude Law plays him as a romantic, joyous playboy. His charm is addictive and alluring. In both the book and the Neflix show, he's a bit more of a dud - a bad painter - a touch lazy, inactive. Law plays him as a wild ladies man. Plot-wise, he's impregnated an Italian girl who kills herself, a haunting foreshadowing of what will come later.

Damon portrays Ripley as a closeted, ashamed homosexual who loves Dickie and accidentally kills him in a personal fight gone awry. You might call it a crime of passion. He somewhat dumbfucks his way through the 2nd half of the film by deciding to pose as Dickie after an offhanded mistake by a hotel clerk. But the tension built by the scenarios are gripping as hell. The Cate Blanchett and Jack Davenport characters are additions (not in the book) but add several memorable set pieces and close calls in the back half. Blanchett in particular adds a nice layer of tension in the film (she believes Ripley is Dickie the entire time). Damon falls in love with Davenport's character, but tragically murders him in the end. This version of the film portrays a misunderstood man trapped by his twin taboo desires: homosexuality and the hunger to have money. It does a strong job of showing Tom's inability to "fake" his class - in particular the scene with Philip Seymour Hoffman as Freddie Miles - who judges Tom's terrible taste.

Last main difference is Paltrow's portrayal of Marge. Marge in the books is a dolt and a bore. She's a bad writer who Ripley looks down upon. In the final sequences, she's so dumb she actually finds evidence of Ripley being the murderer but misinterprets it. In this film, she knows. And this builds to one of the great moments in the film, a heartbreaking "I know it was you," moment.

In the books and tv show, Ripley is more of psychopath. He's a very internal character - almost like an unheralded artist. He's not in love with Dickie - but instead yearns to be Dicky. One way to interpret his character is that he arrogantly believes he can be a better Dickie than Dickie. This is hinted at when Freddie Miles suggests Dickie has "improved" as a painter when he is actually examining Ripley's artwork. Andrew Scott plays Ripley as an asexual. It takes Ripley's POV from the book - it's hinted at people think he's homosexual but he's either sublimated that so far down, it's disappeared or it's simply a misinterpretation of his character by others. He's also very smart and much more clever. The murder of Dickie feels if not premeditated, definitely something he fantasized about. The decision to "become" Dickie is a role Ripley's been practicing and wanting to play. Ripley loves objects, art, an upper class life. The show and book pay attention to the small details (like an artist would) in how to get away with murders and how to steal a great deal of wealth. And it's not so easy. Ripley sees himself as a latter day Caravaggio - a murderer/artist who must live by his wits to survive and live well. Everyone around him is less intelligent and he outfoxes them. This is a rare case of both adaptations being quite powerful in their own way.

Small additional note: the movie gets off to a much faster start. No time is spent with Ripley's life prior to Europe - he's just portrayed as a poor working stiff for a few scenes. In the tv show and book, he's a conman and broke as all hell. Living with rats.