I had looked forward to The Talented Mr. Ripley since seeing the trailer at the theater many months ago. And I liked it nearly as much as I had hoped to. The characters are well-done, their interaction compelling, and having dealt with a step-father who was a pathological liar, watching Ripley’s character develop was especially intriguing for me. The only thing that disappointed, and which may brand me as a melodrama-loving churl, is that there was no catharsis. Ripley’s lies didn’t catch up with him, and he was left free to continue to ply his trade. There was some closure to the story, but none to the character with whom we’d become so involved.