In order to protect the reputation of the American space program, a team of NASA administrators turn the first Mars mission into a phony Mars landing. Under threat of harm to their families the astronauts play their part in the deception on a staged set in a deserted military base. But once the real ship returns to Earth and burns up on re-entry, the astronauts become liabilities. Now, with the help of a crusading reporter, they must battle a sinister conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.

Tom Ripley is a calculating young man who believes it's better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody. Opportunity knocks in the form of a wealthy U.S. shipbuilder who hires Tom to travel to Italy to bring back his playboy son, Dickie. Ripley worms his way into the idyllic lives of Dickie and his girlfriend, plunging into a daring scheme of duplicity, lies and murder.

When a lottery winner dies of shock, his fellow townsfolk attempt to claim the money.

Сви воле Ернеста, али нико није сигуран ко је он у ствари. Двојица енглеских џентлмена одлучују да се мало поиграју са истином како би им животи били узбудљивији. Вортинг (Колин Фирт) измишља брата Ернеста како би отишао са села у посету Гвендолин (Франсес О'Конор), а Монткриф (Руперт Еверет) користи исти псеудоним да би посетио Вортингову младу и лепу штићеницу Сесили (Рис Видерспун). Ствари се одвијају онако како су замислили – све док се не заљубе и док се њихова превара не открије.