The movie is set in the small fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. After a poor fishing season, captain Billy Tyne (played by George Clooney) decides to take his crew out for one last haul before the season ends.

The crew, including Bobby Shatford (Mark Wahlberg), is motivated by the promise of a big payday despite the risks. However, their luck runs out when they find themselves caught in “The Perfect Storm,” a rare convergence of weather events that creates an almost unprecedentedly powerful storm.