Captain Bennett Marco (Washington) and Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Schreiber) served together during the Persian Gulf War (the first one), and were part of a platoon of U.S. soldiers who were kidnapped by the enemy, and brainwashed to become pawns once they return home.

Now, ten years later, Raymond Shaw is climbing the political ladder, as his mother's (Streep) new husband is a powerful senator helping a presidential candidate. Marco, however, is not dealing with the adjustment after the war as well, and eventually remembers being brainwashed. Knowing that it's just a matter of time before Shaw is called to service by his handler, Marco contacts Shaw to try to get through to him before something terrible happens...