1999, 2 hrs 19 min., Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity. Dir: Anthony Minghella. Cast: Matt Damon (Tom Ripley), Jude Law (Dickie Greenleaf), Gwyneth Paltrow (Marge), Cate Blanchett (Meredith), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Freddie Miles), Jack Davenport (Peter Smith-Kingsley), James Rebhorn (Herbert Greenleaf), Philip Baker Hall (Inspector McCarron).

The Talented Mr. Ripley makes good use of the moral advice that a lie begets a lie begets a lie, on and on, until it finally catches up with you. The real question becomes, what to do when you're caught? Do you relent and admit everything, accepting the consequences or do you turn against your accuser and continue deeper into the realm of negativity?

I'm not going to reveal what Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) does, but since it's a movie you can probably figure out that he isn't a choir boy, lest it be a short and boring film, something Ripley is most definitely not.

I can't say, though, that I loved the movie. It is a good film but a bit creepy and uneasy, so I'm comfortable saying that I appreciated what it showed and how the filmmakers went about developing the characters and plot.

TTMR is worthy of awards, though I'm not sure it will garner many considering what a phenomenal year 1999 was for the business. Matt Damon is a shoe-in for a Best Actor nomination and the screenplay also deserves credit, with possible nods for Gwyneth Paltrow for her turn as Marge, the writer and unfortunate love of Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), the womanizing playboy who lives the good life in southern Italy.

Unfortunately one of my favorite actresses, the lovely Cate Blanchett as Meredith Logue, is not on screen much. Even then, she doesn't serve a big purpose other than to create more confusion for Tom Ripley.

Making brief but memorable appearances are Philip Seymour Hoffman as Greenleaf's obnoxious friend, James Rebhorn as the elder Greenleaf out to get his son back to the U.S. and Jack Davenport as the too-trusting friend of Ripley and Meredith.

The locations of the film are a big plus, giving any viewer a yearning to visit southern Italy, where the film takes place. Of course, it is 1950s Italy, but the blue waters and colorful citizens are still there. It's a beautiful area to have a psychological crime drama.

Another positive that got me in the mood at the start was the graphics. For the credits at the beginning of the film, all names were over a dark background or a line of color along the edges of the screen. With the music and view it got me in the mood to see a good movie.