The film begins with Barbara Hutton (played by Charlize Theron) as a young girl, already inheriting a vast fortune from her family's business, F.W. Woolworth's. As she grows older, Barbara becomes increasingly isolated and unhappy, despite her wealth and privilege. Her life takes a dark turn as she becomes involved with a con artist, Erik Lindstrom (played by Arnold Oceng), and later marries several times, struggling with addiction and personal demons.