Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) is a bright but struggling young man in New York City whose life is transformed after a chance encounter with a wealthy man. Tom travels to Italy to track down the man's son Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) and convince him to return home. Instead, Ripley becomes friends with Dickie and his fiancee Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow) and becomes enamored of the extravagant lifestyle they are leading. Tensions arise in the friendship as Tom develops both jealous and romantic feelings towards Dickie, and Marge becomes suspicious of his motivations. Tom goes to desperate lengths to maintain his newfound lifestyle, wreaking havoc in the lives of Dickie, Marge, their friend Freddie Miles (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), and the entire Greenleaf family.