On January 23, 2002, Daniel Pearl, portrayed by Dan Futterman, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, is scheduled to fly from Karachi to Dubai with his pregnant wife, Mariane (Angelina Jolie), who is also a journalist. Daniel, covering the war in Afghanistan, remains on the ground amidst escalating dangers, while many journalists have chosen to leave. They continue to report on critical issues, such as nuclear proliferation and Al-Qaeda, during a tumultuous period when the U.S. is hunting for Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora, and many militants have gathered in Peshawar, considered a stronghold of Al-Qaeda.
Asra Nomani (Archie Panjabi), assists Daniel by managing his appointments and travel plans. The day before his disappearance, Daniel has an interview scheduled with a notorious Islamic fundamentalist, Sheikh Gilani (Ikram Bhatti), a cleric with ties to extremist groups aiming to purify Islam through violence. When Daniel fails to return home, Mariane takes the initiative to seek help, reaching out to Daniel’s parents, Judea Pearl (Jeffry Kaplow) and Ruth Pearl (Perrine Moran).
A fixer named Masud (Daud Khan), who arranged the meeting for Daniel, becomes a person of interest, especially after it is revealed that Masud had previously connected Daniel with Bashir. Despite Mariane's attempts to get Bashir's contact information, Masud remains evasive. As the search intensifies, various authorities—including the FBI, Pakistani police, and American embassy personnel—review witnesses, phone records, and emails for clues.
Key figures in the investigation include Randall Bennett (Will Patton), a Special Agent with the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and John Bussey (Denis O'Hare), the Wall Street Journal's Foreign Editor and Daniel’s boss. They work alongside Javid Habib (Irrfan Khan), the SSP CID in Karachi, and Dost Aliani (Adnan Siddiqui) from Military Intelligence. As Mariane faces disturbing truths, she learns that both she and Asra are under suspicion, with Asra facing accusations of espionage.
As the kidnappers express their demands through videos—claiming that Daniel is a CIA agent—the situation escalates. Mariane, unwavering in her love and determination, publicly appeals for the release of her husband on television, emphasizing that he is merely a journalist, while Colin Powell dismisses the kidnappers' demands during a news broadcast. In a heartbreaking turn of events on January 29, the authorities mistakenly suspect they have found Daniel's body, only to discover it is not him.
Following a series of tense investigations, Javid captures Sheikh Gilani, but he is ultimately cleared of involvement in the crime. The investigation leads to further arrests, including Omar Sheikh (Alyy Khan), whose history intertwines with terrorism. The search for Daniel culminates in a nationwide manhunt initiated by President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan.
Despite the authorities' best efforts, as news surfaces of a video showing Daniel’s execution, Mariane is shattered yet stands resolute, refusing to assign blame to Pakistan. After Daniel's ultimate fate is revealed—his body divided and found mangled—Mariane returns to Paris, vowing to honor her husband’s legacy through a film. She learns of Omar's sentencing to death, knowing that the horrifying events surrounding her husband's kidnapping were part of a larger narrative steeped in violence and tragedy.
