The Talented Mr. Ripley (film)

The Talented Mr. Ripley is a 1999 American psychological thriller written for the screen and directed by Anthony Minghella. An adaptation of the 1955 Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, the film stars Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf, Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge Sherwood and Cate Blanchett as Meredith Logue.

Tom Ripley is a young man struggling to make a living in 1950s New York City. While playing piano at a cocktail party in New York City, he is approached by wealthy shipbuilder Herbert Greenleaf, who mistakenly believes that Ripley went to Princeton with his son, Dickie, because Ripley is wearing a borrowed Princeton blazer. Greenleaf recruits Ripley to travel to Italy and persuade Dickie to return to the United States, for which he will pay Ripley 1,000 equivalent to 8,834 in 2016. Ripley accepts the proposal, even though he did not attend Princeton and has never met Dickie.Upon arriving by ship in Europe, Ripley meets a young and wealthy textile heiress named Meredith Logue. During their brief conversation he impulsively pretends to be Dickie, later commenting in voiceover that it is better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody. Shortly after his arrival in Italy, Ripley fakes a chance encounter on the beach with Dickie and his fiance, Marge Sherwood. Ripley later discloses to Dickie and Marge and discloses that Mr. Greenleaf paid him to travel to Europe and persuade Dickie to return home. This revelation infuriates Dickie he declines the invitation and suggests Ripley go back to America and inform his father that he has no intention of ever returning. Ripley instead ingratiates himself into Dickies life under the pretext of being a fellow jazz lover. The two concoct a scheme for Ripley to wring additional funds from Greenleaf by regularly mailing letters suggesting Dickie is wavering and will likely return to America if Ripley can remain in Italy and continue applying pressure. ........

Source: Wikipedia