Watching this film brought to mind two other films with a connection to Malkovich: Dangerous Liaisons, and Cruel Intentions. I thought Malkovich over-acted and was utterly unconvincing in Dangerous Liaisons. His female counterpart in Cruel Intentions was the same. Ripley's Game has Malkovich playing a similar style of role and, yet again, he fails to come through. He does not give the feeling of evil, or even wickedness - he gives the feeling of nonchalance; a feeling which does not match up with the character as you can see from his surroundings and interaction with people in the film.
The entire lifestyle of Malkovich was affected and the script writing added some very uncomfortable moments as scenes appeared which were very obviously included simply to try to enhance the evil characteristics of Malkovich. An especially striking example of this is when Malkovich has just set fire (with absolutely no emotion or energy) to some dead bodies in a car boot; as he walks away he makes a mobile-telephone call to his florist to order flowers for his wife's recital. It was utterly ridiculous and extremely transparent. A note the scriptwriter: if the audience can see what you are trying to do, you have failed to do it.
Ripley has somehow become straight - I am not sure what that is about - perhaps he was never gay in the first place and just had a childhood crush on the character played by Jude Law in the first film? He is now married to a woman who might as well have not been in the film - though I guess the writer added her so she could perpetrate the crime of writing the pathetic scene described above! The wife seems entirely insouciant when Malkovich tells her that his old friend wants him to kill two mafia heads in Berlin.
If you liked The Talented Mr. Ripley, do NOT see this film - it really is awful. I found myself cringing frequently through it.
The entire lifestyle of Malkovich was affected and the script writing added some very uncomfortable moments as scenes appeared which were very obviously included simply to try to enhance the evil characteristics of Malkovich. An especially striking example of this is when Malkovich has just set fire (with absolutely no emotion or energy) to some dead bodies in a car boot; as he walks away he makes a mobile-telephone call to his florist to order flowers for his wife's recital. It was utterly ridiculous and extremely transparent. A note the scriptwriter: if the audience can see what you are trying to do, you have failed to do it.
Ripley has somehow become straight - I am not sure what that is about - perhaps he was never gay in the first place and just had a childhood crush on the character played by Jude Law in the first film? He is now married to a woman who might as well have not been in the film - though I guess the writer added her so she could perpetrate the crime of writing the pathetic scene described above! The wife seems entirely insouciant when Malkovich tells her that his old friend wants him to kill two mafia heads in Berlin.
If you liked The Talented Mr. Ripley, do NOT see this film - it really is awful. I found myself cringing frequently through it.