Matt Damon & Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘Certified Fresh’ 90s Classic Returns to Netflix
With the immense success of recent limited series adaptations, interest in the twisting world of Patricia Highsmith's most famous character has understandably drawn plenty of interest. Now, Netflix subscribers can go back to where the cinematic obsession began, with a blast from the past thanks to a beloved 1990s hit film. The beloved 1999 adaptation starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law earned rave reviews, including a "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with five Academy Award nominations. The psychological crime thriller remains one of the gold standard movies of its genre, and it's the perfect watch for those seeking a bit of 90s nostalgia.
'The Talented Mr. Ripley': Why the '90s Classic Is a Must-Stream
While Netflix did roll out the limited miniseries titled Ripley on April 4, 2024, which ran for eight episodes, it's the original film based on Highsmith's 1955 crime novel that's returning to the streaming service. The Talented Mr. Ripley was first released in December 1999 and was widely considered a defining role in Matt Damon's career.
Damon, who starred as Tom Ripley, was featured alongside Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett and Philip Seymour Hoffman. As What's on Netflix highlighted, The Talented Mr. Ripley will return to Netflix as of Dec. 13, 2025. While it's had several stints on the streaming platform, it spent significant time there through April 2020, but is now available once again.
Cast of The Talented Mr. Ripley:
- Matt Damon as Tom Ripley
- Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge Sherwood
- Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf
- Cate Blanchett as Meredith Logue
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Freddie Miles
The story features Damon as Ripley, a con artist sent to Italy to convince Law's character Greenleaf to return to New York City. However, the rich son of Herbert Greenleaf (played by James Rebhorn) has little interest in doing so. After pretending to be Dickie, Ripley becomes attached to the lavish lifestyle that he stepped into.
A 'Certified Fresh' Gem: Breaking Down the Critical Acclaim
The Talented Mr. Ripley earned high marks from several review sites and also picked up 81 total award nominations, including five for Academy Awards. Most notably, Law was nominated for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role award at the 2000 Oscars.
As for the significant praise from critics and audiences alike, The Talented Mr. Ripley earned the impressive "certified fresh" label on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an 85 percent critics' score. The audience score wasn't far behind, at 80 percent based on more than 100,000 verified reviews.
The Damon-led thriller received just two negative marks on Metacritic while earning a score of 76 from critics. It also earned a 7.3 out of 10 rating from critics on the site. Roger Ebert gave The Talented Mr. Ripley a perfect four out of four stars, calling it as "intelligent a thriller as you'll see" in the year.
"The movie is an intelligent a thriller as you’ll see this year. It is also insidious in the way it leads us to identify with Tom Ripley. He is the protagonist, we see everything through his eyes, and Dickie is not especially lovable; that means we are a co-conspirator in situations where it seems inconceivable that Tom’s deception will not be discovered. He’s a monster, but we want him to get away with it," Ebert's review read.
You'd be hard-pressed to find many people with overly negative feedback regarding the film, which, along with Damon, marked a bit of a film breakthrough for Law as well.
Related: New Report Reveals Final Verdict on Brad Pitt’s Rumored Role in ‘The Batman Part 2'