A Dark Matt Damon Murder Story Is Leaving Netflix
Matt Damons' The Talented Mr. Ripley is leaving Netflix at the end of September.
Netflix viewers will no longer be able to see Matt Damon impersonate, con, and murder around Europe in The Talented Mr. Ripley. The movie departs the streaming service on September 30, leaving only a few days to watch the thriller. The Academy Award-nominated film stars Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman in impressive early performances.
The Matt Damon-led The Talented Mr. Ripley is based on the book by the same name, written in 1955 by Patricia Highsmith. The screenplay was adapted by Anthony Minghella, who also directed the film. The movie’s five Oscar nominations include Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.
The story is about Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a young underachiever who is approached by the father of a spoiled rich socialite, named Dickie Greenleaf, to find the young man in Europe and persuade him to return to the United States. The elder Greenleaf mistakenly believes Ripley to be a friend of Dickie’s from Princeton, and Ripley continues to capitalize on this error when he accepts the errand.
Matt Damon as Ripley travels to Europe and uses Dickie’s name, meeting a girl along the way. He finds Dickie in Italy and becomes a part of the playboy’s extravagant circle, which also includes Dickie’s fiancee Marge and his friend Freddie. In the midst of distrust and betrayal, Ripley winds up murdering Dickie and assuming his identity.
These intrigues are only the beginning of Tom Ripley’s exploits in the movie, and Matt Damon moves through the picturesque setting with every bit of charisma and charm needed to carry out Ripley’s murderous deeds. The performances of the actors helped garner this movie significant critical acclaim upon its release. In addition to the Academy Award nominations, the movie was nominated for five Golden Globes, including Best Picture, and Jude Law won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. Though for his part, Matt Damon wasn’t up for any awards here.
As an early work for many of its young stars (Matt Damon, Jude Law, etc), The Talented Mr. Ripley also helped set the stage for many of their careers. Almost all the main characters were played by talent that was just emerging at the time, and who went on to accomplish great things, both on- and off-screen.
Jude Law, who played Dickie Greenleaf opposite Matt Damon, went on to play such popular movie roles as Dr. John Watson alongside Robert Downey Jr. in the Sherlock Holmes movies. He also was recently a young Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. He dipped his toes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel.
Also joining Matt Damon is Gwyneth Paltrow who played Marge Sherwood, Dickie’s fiancee. Fresh from projects such as Emma, Se7en, and the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love, she has continued the momentum with even bigger projects, such as playing Pepper Potts, the wife and personal assistant to Iron Man Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She also founded the company goop, a holistic wellness and beauty brand.
Tragically, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who plays Dickie’s suspicious friend Freddie in The Talented Mr. Ripley, died from a heroin overdose in 2014. This was after a prolific career, including several more Oscar nominations and a win for best actor in Capote in 2005. His last role was as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games series.
Cate Blanchett is also no stranger to Oscar-winning and popular movies. Best known as Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Blanchett also played the nemesis of Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. She also provided the voice for Valka, Hiccup’s mother in the How to Train Your Dragon series.
Tom Ripley himself, Matt Damon, had already established himself firmly in Hollywood when the script he wrote with Ben Affleck, Good Will Hunting, earned them both an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The Talented Mr. Ripley is one of a myriad of acclaimed and award-winning performances by the star, and his work is varied and eclectic.
The producer and actor may be best known for the titular role in The Bourne Identity and its cinematic sequels, but he also plays a lot of cameos and uncredited roles for friends, including a bit part in Deadpool 2 under the name “Dickie Greenleaf.” In this way, Matt Damon has done it all.
For your last chance to see Matt Damon head this cast of talented thespians in The Talented Mr. Ripley, head over to Netflix before September 30. The movie is departing for other streaming services, but at the end of the month, Mr. Ripley’s talents will not be available on Netflix.
