The Talented Mr. Ripley ending revisited: Eventual fate of Tom Ripley

The Talented Mr. Ripley is a psychological drama thriller film penned and directed by Anthony Minghella. It is an official adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's namesake 1955 novel. Paramount Pictures released the film on the big screens on December 25, 1999. Here's the official synopsis, as mentioned by Letterboxd:

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.

This article talks about the film's ending. We will also find out what happens to Tom.

What's the story of The Talented Mr. Ripley?

The Talented Mr. Ripley is about a con artist named Tom Ripley, played by Matt Damon. He is assigned by a rich man to convince his son Dickie Greenleaf to come home. Tom goes to Italy from New York to meet Dickie and finish the job.

The Talented Mr. Ripley ending explored

The Talented Mr. Ripley features Tom and Meredith meeting up at the opera house. The event is also joined by Peter and Marge and Peter. Tom spaces out of the arena in fear of getting recognised. His apartment is eventually visited by Freddie. The landlady addresses Tom as Dickie. Freddie quickly finds out that Tom has been lying. He is eventually murdered by Tom.

The police eventually find the body and reach the apartment to speak to Dickie. Tom writes a fake suicide note by Dickie, who claims responsibility for Freddie's demise. Tom leaves for Venice, where he meets Peter. Tom is about to eliminate Marge, but Peter shows up and interrupts. Marge sees Dickie's ring on his finger.

MacCarron informs Tom that the cops believe Dickie killed Freddie and then himself. We also realize that Herbert plans to take a sum from Dickie's fund for Tom. Towards the end of the film, Tom has been cleared of all the crimes. He takes a liner with Peter to go to Greece. On that liner, Tom meets Meredith, who is there with the family. Tom kisses her and says they will talk later. Peter sees the two kissing and asks for clarification. Tom apologizes to Peter for lying. He then strangles Peter to death. The film ends with Tom going back to the cabin on his own.

He finally has the money to live like Dickie. Tom remains a psychopath with no sense of empathy. He continues to eliminate anyone who comes his way. The cops might eventually find Peter's dead body. This might point to Tom, who has always been around several killings lately. He will have to leave the liner and Greece to avoid arrest.