The various interesting disparate elements - the comedy, the thriller moments, the arthouse stylings, the marital drama - never really coalesced for me. I enjoyed the film but overall was left feeling a tad unsatisfied.

Atmosphere

Charmingly bizarre little movie

Tribute to the American gangster film helped introduce Wenders to American moviegoers. Hopper is the typical Wenders protagonist, a strange man in a strange land looking for a connection. Great, creepy thriller.

Wenders has developed a cult following for this film about people operating outside the law.

Not especially interesting, but not boring, either. I thought the first hour could have been trimmed down to a half-hour without losing much.

i hate wenders and ganz, hopper was good in this tho

#908

An 'artsier' take on a Highsmith novel than, say, Hitchock's "Stranger on a Train". Interesting visual approach (some stunning set pieces), interesting character development (intriguing interpretations of the novel's characters), interesting performances (both Hopper and Ganz are strong in their portrayals). 'Interesting', however, doesn't immediately equal consistently engrossing or satisfying. While I enjoyed Wenders' vision and visuals, I was somewhat underwhelmed by his storytelling skills.

I really liked the movie. The atmosphere of suspense and nostalgia are present all the time. Bruno Ganz is great in the role of Jonathan, as well as Dennis Hoper (Ripley) ... the film works well across the web of murder and internal conflicts (for both, Jonathan and Ripley) ... But for the film work for those who read the book, is best forget the Ripley´s Highsmith ... there are striking differences between them.

I remember liking this when I saw it thirty-odd years ago. I remember it for being suspenseful at times, overlong and slow in its pacing, and featuring good performances from Ganz and Hopper. It also has a nice little acting part for director Sam Fuller.

All atmosphere - only the bare minimum of character motivation provided.

The various interesting disparate elements - the comedy, the thriller moments, the arthouse stylings, the marital drama - never really coalesced for me. I enjoyed the film but overall was left feeling a tad unsatisfied.

For a Ripley film he seems to be pretty much a catalyst for another story, and it doesn't help that Hopper doesn't much fit the role. Still, Ganz gives an excellent performance and if the film fully committed to making him the centre it would help. As it is we get moods and reactions but not much insight, particularly into the major turning points in the film. The film gets points for style and creating a mood, but the elements don't fit together all that well.

Cool setting i.e. time and place, but it doesn't go anywhere and I mean anywhere. Try it and if you aren't loving the ride feel free to bail cause the ending last 3rd wimps out.

Stunningly directed thriller sets up its pieces very slowly and deliberately (perhaps too much so) for the first third, but it emerges as an exciting, unsettling experience. Hopper is perfect as an enigmatic, subtly sinister Ripley, and Ganz matches him as the tortured hero. Oddball touches by Wenders especially in the colour scheme and eccentric camera angles, makes this a fascinating film, and very much rooted in the art house cinema of the 70s. Far superior to the 90s-00s Ripley films.