Saltburn is airing on TV tonight (Image: Warner Bros)
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Saltburn may be airing tonight on BBC Two, but viewers are being urged to watch the thriller’s “outstanding” predecessor instead.

The “masterpiece” film with “superb” performances from its Hollywood A-lister leads has been described as “one of the best intellectual thrillers” ever made.

The Anthony Minghella movie, which stars Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett, is also based on Patricia Highsmith’s best-selling novel of the same name.

Titled The Talented Mr. Ripley, the 1999 thriller has an 85% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a description that reads: “To be young and carefree amid the blue waters and idyllic landscape of sun-drenched Italy in the late 1950s; that’s la dolce vita Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) craves – and Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) leads.

“When Dickie’s father asks Tom to bring his errant playboy son back home to America, Dickie and his beautiful expatriate girlfriend, Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow), never suspect the dangerous extremes to which Ripley will go to make their lifestyle his own.”

Saltburn was one of the most talked about movies of 2023 (Image: Warner Bros)

Taking to the comments, many fans expressed their love for the The Talented Mr. Ripley, with some describing it as an “all-time favourite”.

A fan wrote: “One of the best films ever made! The story, acting, cinematography, editing, music, and fantastically beautiful filming locations. A truly superb masterpiece.”

Another agreed: “One of the most perfect movies ever put on film. The acting is superb; the plot and story progression are fantastic; the writing—specifically the dialogue are expertly done. A truly masterful work of cinema.”

A third person commented: “This movie was amazing, and it’s definitely one of my favorite thriller movies ever. Matt Damon was absolutely sinister in this movie, and it made it so enjoyable to watch. I definitely recommend it for thriller and drama fans!”

“One of the best intellectual thrillers,” another fan gushed, as one more concurred: “Outstanding! Great acting, well cast, beautifully filmed, good script, good soundtrack, well directed. What more can I say!”

The classic film stars Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow (Image: Paramount/Miramax)

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Yet another fan enthused: “This movie left me SPEECHLESS. OH MY GOD. Matt Damon is incredible. What a story, what a plot twist, what a performance. One of the best movies I’ve ever seen. A MASTERPIECE.”

Over on IMDb, a direct comparison was even made to Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, saying: “If you love Saltburn and Catch Me If You Can then this is for you.”

Meanwhile, 2023’s Saltburn has a slightly lower score of 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, with some fans insisting it doesn’t live up to the standard set by The Talented Mr. Ripley.

The synopsis reads: “Academy Award winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell brings us a beautifully wicked tale of privilege and desire.

“Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family’s sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten.”

The eat the rich thriller packs plenty of twists (Image: Paramount/Miramax)

Commenting on the modern eat the rich thriller, one fan advised: “Watch The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) instead – it does exactly what this film is trying to do, but better (better characterisation, plot, intrigue, depth, structure…)”

Another complained: “To the people calling Saltburn ‘surprising’ or ‘dark’…did we see the same movie? This was just a hack update of Talented Mr. Ripley, but with less interesting characters.”

“Poor man’s Talented Mr Ripley,” a third person wrote on IMDb, while another agreed: “Oliver is essentially just a less charismatic, Scouse Tom Ripley, with darkness beneath a thin veneer of awkward shyness.”

However, some fans felt Saltburn lived up to expectations, with one fan writing on Rotten Tomatoes: “A kind of fusion of Talented Mr Ripley and Brideshead Revisited but much more. The cast is excellent. The story is never boring.”

“Eerie and gripping like the Talented Mr. Ripley,” another agreed, as one more commented: “Great suspenseful and well executed film similar to the talented Mr Ripley – and the casting and acting was amazing.”

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