Reporter Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) breaks an explosive story in her Washington daily paper revealing the identity of an undercover CIA agent and her role in the investigation of a plot to assassinate the President of the United States. As a result of the ensuing chaos, Armstrong is hauled in front of a grand jury by Federal prosecutor Patton Dubois (Matt Dillon), who demands to know who her source is.

After consistently refusing to divulge the name of her informer, Armstrong is sent to prison for contempt of court, from where her relationship with both her husband (David Schwimmer) and young son Timmy (Preston Bailey) decline. A dip in the film’s pace while its protagonist resides behind bars is almost too much to bear, but persevere and the story picks up again when the audience is led to believe she will finally reveal her source. She doesn’t – and so to another two years in prison (snore) – but at least we find out who it is.