Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel of the same name, Anthony Minghella's moody follow-up to his Oscar-winning THE ENGLISH PATIENT concerns Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a poor New Yorker, who is sent to Italy by the wealthy Mr. Greenleaf in order to bring back his spoiled son, Dickie (an Oscar-nominated Jude Law). Once in Italy, Tom charms his way into the home of Dickie and his girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow), where he begins to get a taste of wealthy living. When Tom begins to wear out his welcome, he takes drastic actions to ensure that he will never have to return to the life that he left behind.