Anton Corbijn on Helen Mirren in ‘A Talent for Murder’

In “A Talent for Murder,” director Anton Corbijn takes a closer look at writer Patricia Highsmith.

Known for creating everyone’s favorite psychopath Tom Ripley, Highsmith – played by Helen Mirren – became a controversial figure because of her antisemitic and misanthropic statements.

“By all accounts, she was much worse than what we show in the film. You don’t want her to be completely unlikable. It’s difficult when you don’t actually know the person and base everything on hearsay, but she was a very difficult woman. Also to herself,” he tells Variety.

He enjoyed seeing Mirren, now in her 80s, fully embrace the role of someone who can be, well, a jerk.

“She’s a great jerk! I think it’s healthy. It’s never too late to be a bitch. I’m referring to our Highsmith, of course. Luckily, she only killed fictional characters.”

In the film, previously known as “Switzerland” after Joanna Murray-Smith’s play it’s based on – “I thought it would conjure too many images of cows and mountains,” Corbijn says – Highsmith is joined in her Swiss refuge by a young man, Edward (Alden Ehrenreich), who tries to persuade her to write another novel about Ripley.

They don’t exactly bring out the best in each other. Quite the opposite.

“They’re testing how bad people can be and how far they can go. Unfortunately, it’s always further than you’d like to think. Sometimes it has to do with generational trauma that manifests itself, or with human curiosity that leads to certain behaviors. I think it happens quite often: People get curious, and they go too far. That might be the case with Ripley, too.”

Ripley is evil, but he doesn’t look it. In “The American Friend,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” or Netflix’s show “Ripley,” he knows how to charm his victims. That’s his superpower.

“When evil is obvious, it’s not interesting because you know it’s coming. That’s his strength, and I think that’s the strength of the film. You don’t know if you should like them or not,” notes Corbijn.

“I love how Alden can change in very minimal ways. He can be this nerdy guy, and then he can be a mean killer with cold eyes. We got really lucky with this cast.”

While the film emphasizes that the portrayal of Highsmith is “entirely fictional,” this is not the first time that Corbijn has taken on a real-life protagonist. “Control,” about Joy Division’s singer Ian Curtis, was his directorial breakthrough.

“I knew the guy, so I think it’s a very truthful film. With ‘Life,’ I didn’t know James Dean. He died the same year when I was born, so we never got to meet,” he laughs.

“You just fill in the gaps. But even Helen said that there’s something more mysterious about playing real-life characters than the ones you make up. It’s more complex and more interesting.”

Mirren famously portrayed Elizabeth II in “The Queen” and former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in “Golda.”

“It can be so powerful, too. Now, when I think of Ian, I think of Sam Riley in the film. I’m so much more familiar with him than with the real Ian Curtis!”

Corbijn first gained prominence as a photographer and music video director, working with the likes of Depeche Mode and U2. However, looking at what’s happening in the music and film industry, he can’t help but worry.

“I get very depressed thinking about A.I. replacing so much in cinema, but it’s the same with music. Take ABBA concerts with their ‘avatars’. Is everything really replaceable? It’s dangerous because we all prefer comfort over substance, and that will be our downfall. Needless to say, there’s no A.I. in my film.”

He adds: “I’m really worried about the immediate future because things are changing way too fast. I think we will respond badly to it. And too late.”

He says he feels “quite pessimistic about the world.” He’s not the only one, which might explain why Ripley keeps on returning.

“It’s as if he returns when the world aligns with his thinking, which is terrible. Maybe people are more accepting of murder today?”