Andrew Scott Was Made For Ripley, Why Everyone Needs To Watch The New Netflix Thriller

The psychological thriller novel by Patricia Highsmith, The Talented Mr. Ripley, was released in 1955. Since then we have seen a few on-screen adaptations, but none of these were as chilling as the latest Netflix adaptation with Andrew Scott in the role of Tom Ripley, a criminal mastermind.

Netflix’s Ripley has steered away from showing us the colorful areas where sea and sky meet at Italian beaches. This has sparked massive outrage among the audience who had nothing complementary to say about the artistic choice that director Steven Zaillian went for. 

However, this iteration of Ripley is far darker than the previous one. The neo-noir style heightens the suspense. Zaillian has given us something different to process and focus on.

From time to time you will find yourself glued to the screen thanks to the black and white style creating a claustrophobic feeling as Ripley and Dickie confront each other in a dimly lit bar. 

Andrew Scott in Ripley is older than the character in the novels. If you aren’t familiar with the novels, Tom Ripley is a 20-something con artist living on petty scams sent to Italy by a rich man to return his son. However, in the series, we are introduced to Ripley in his 40s.

The age difference makes the thriller series focus more on the psychological aspect of the character Ripley. It is not a surprise that the director used neo-noir style to increase the importance of age difference and make the viewers pay attention more to tiny details of the game he has been playing all along.

Unfortunately, it seems like the age difference has made audiences less willing to watch Andrew Scott a victim in Ripley. While his performance is praised, the viewership is at times low for a series on Netflix. Nevertheless, my opinion is that Andrew Scott and Ripley deserve a chance. 

Andrew Scott is a man of many talents. He is known for portraying several criminal masterminds in addition to his role in Ripley. Scott is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Moriarty in the BBC series Sherlock.

His Moriarty is a mix of a manipulative, ruthless genius, constantly several steps ahead of Sherlock Holmes. Again like in Sherlock, Andrew Scott brought charms and ruthlessness to Ripley in this adaptation, making him the perfect actor for the role. 

Another role that goes to his benefit is the role of Chris Gillhaney in the episode “Smithereens” of Black Mirror. While not your typical criminal mastermind, Chris is a man with a plan and is a successful manipulator, mirroring Ripley’s ability to control and deceive. 

If you aren’t familiar with Andrew Scott’s filmography, he was also C in Spectre, The Priest in Fleabag, and in 2023 he played Adam in the film All of Us Strangers, in addition to many other roles. 

Forget what you have seen and read about Tom Ripley and start anew with this Netflix adaptation. It is a deliberate slow-burning psychological thriller, diving deep into the mind of Tom Ripley while Andrew Scott shines in Ripley’s dark aesthetics.