‘A Talent for Murder’ is a deliciously fun meta take on Patricia Highsmith’s most famous creation

“A Talent for Murder” opens up on one of the scariest things of all – a blank page. At least, the scariest thing for a naive publishing assistant. Especially when dealing with a client as notorious as Patricia Highsmith. Directed by Anton Corbijn and written by Joanna Murray-Smith (adapted from her play “Switzerland’), “A Talent for Murder” imagines said publishing assistant, Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich), on a trip to Switzerland in 1995 to try and persuade Highsmith (Helen Mirren) to write one more installment of her famous Tom Ripley series – something she is determined not to do. What ensues is a battle of wits between an ornery, cunning, and bitter old broad and a neurotic, anxious young man – or is he? “A Talent for Murder” is a delightful meta take on the Highsmith oeuvre, exploring the relationship between an author and her creation, and pinpointing the aspects of her work and specifically the Tom Ripley character that are so utterly beguiling.  When Edward arri