Comparing notes with a friend from a reunion celebration held at a wealthy family seat. The cascade of inherited wealth to our own generation was all around us: from the watchful staff and non-negotiable rituals, to placements imposed with iron discipline. Aside from the eye-rolling, it produced a host of “Ripley moments” — a mix of revelling in someone else’s luxurious time out of London working life while resenting them having it.
Watching Andrew Scott in his coldly mesmeric performance as Tom Ripley, the timelessly aspirational psychopath, set us thinking that he would fit in perfectly into the 2020s love-hate relationship with the extremely rich. Envy for the (very) High Net Worth life — tinged with a gnawing fury — intensifies at times of economic and social stress. It is probably why the Netflix revival not only feels like an old friend among classy — and class-ridden — noir thrillers, but a show with echoes for our jarring present times as well.
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