The improviser with no conscience is now later in years and more sophisticated and calm in the way he does his work. "Tom Ripley"(John Malkovich)is bothered with the annoyance of a former partner he assisted on a painting scheme named Reeves(Ray Winstone). Reeves needs an innocent to kill some people for him so he can make some serious business profit. The pawn of Ripley's game, and the innocent stained with blood, will be painting framer Jonathan(Dougray Scott)who is dying of leukemia. Jonathan isn't wealthy and makes an insult towards Ripley at a party function(that Ripley overhears and visibly it is etched that he's angry about it)that will put in motion him being selected as the one probable to commit murders for Reeves. Jonathan is indeed a tragic character in this film for he kills once to earn a cool profit that would benefit his money-strapped family after he's dead, Reeves threatens that very family if he doesn't murder again.
Ripley steps up to assist Jonathan in the second kill(which Reeves informs must be completed with the use of a garrote), which is anything but easy killing a man with a wire-strangling device, on board a train. When one of the second kill's men doesn't die, they come looking for Ripley and Jonathan which makes up the final thirty minutes of the film.
I have to say, the film is entertaining, specifically for Malkovich's portrayal of a much wiser, more seasoned specialist who doesn't suffer from guilt or bothered by reasoning out his actions. He's cold, calculating, swift, and infinitely quick-thinking. Dougray Scott's interpretation of the sad Jonathan is also a marvelous watch because he is engulfed with the torment of his actions. His wife wants to know how he earns so much money and where he goes when heading off to Berlin to assassinate people. The knowledge of having to kill weighs him down and tears away at his very guts. He doesn't enjoy killing and it deeply bothers him. Jonathan loves that son of his and adores his beloved wife. Ripley doesn't even wince at killing, but Jonathan isn't a sociopath monster cloaked by this quiet demeanor. Reeves is the chief motivator of the violence and enjoys sitting back while others does his dirty work. Ripley doesn't quake at Reeves' feet, but Jonathan has his family to worry about. Reeves has the power to harm Jonathan and that control forces the innocent to do his bidding.
Ripley steps up to assist Jonathan in the second kill(which Reeves informs must be completed with the use of a garrote), which is anything but easy killing a man with a wire-strangling device, on board a train. When one of the second kill's men doesn't die, they come looking for Ripley and Jonathan which makes up the final thirty minutes of the film.
I have to say, the film is entertaining, specifically for Malkovich's portrayal of a much wiser, more seasoned specialist who doesn't suffer from guilt or bothered by reasoning out his actions. He's cold, calculating, swift, and infinitely quick-thinking. Dougray Scott's interpretation of the sad Jonathan is also a marvelous watch because he is engulfed with the torment of his actions. His wife wants to know how he earns so much money and where he goes when heading off to Berlin to assassinate people. The knowledge of having to kill weighs him down and tears away at his very guts. He doesn't enjoy killing and it deeply bothers him. Jonathan loves that son of his and adores his beloved wife. Ripley doesn't even wince at killing, but Jonathan isn't a sociopath monster cloaked by this quiet demeanor. Reeves is the chief motivator of the violence and enjoys sitting back while others does his dirty work. Ripley doesn't quake at Reeves' feet, but Jonathan has his family to worry about. Reeves has the power to harm Jonathan and that control forces the innocent to do his bidding.