Catchfire

Conceptual artist Anne Benton creates electronic pieces that flash evocative statements, drawing increasing media attention. Her work becomes a high-profile signal in the art world, setting the stage for both admiration and danger.

While driving home late one night, Anne witnesses a mafia hit overseen by Leo Carelli. The hit results in the killing of a mobster and his bodyguard, and Carelli spots Anne before she escapes. She flees to the police for protection.

Two mobsters, Greek and Pinella, go to Anne's house aiming to silence her but end up killing her boyfriend, Bob. The botched intrusion demonstrates the reach of Carelli's organization. The danger to Anne intensifies dramatically.

FBI agent Pauling offers Anne a place in the United States Federal Witness Protection Program, promising safety and a fresh start. The option presents a path to escape the mob, but it would require giving up her current life and identity.

At the police station, Anne spots Carelli's lawyer John Luponi and flees by disguising herself with another woman's wig and raincoat. The escape underscores her escalating fugitive status as she tries to outrun her pursuers.

Lino Avoca hires top hitman Milo to silence Anne. Milo buys one of her artworks and raids her home, where he finds intimate Polaroids that complicate his pursuit and hint at a personal stake.

Months pass as Anne severs ties with her past and re-establishes herself in Seattle as an advertising copywriter. The move marks a fresh start, but the danger she runs from remains a constant undercurrent.

Milo recognizes a lipstick-ad tagline as one of Anne's catchphrases and tracks her down to Seattle. Pauling and the police pursue as well, but Anne manages to elude once again.

Milo corners Anne in New Mexico, while Pinella tracks Milo's movements for Carelli. Milo quickly kills Pinella, then corners Anne and offers a deal: live if she does anything he asks.

Milo’s obsession with Anne softens as he falls in love with her, while she also realizes her feelings for him. The relationship blurs lines between hunter and hunted, complicating both their safety.

Anne and Milo flee to an isolated farm owned by Milo, narrowly escaping Avoca's men who close in. The duo must rely on each other to survive as pursuers close the net.

Realizing that freedom requires confronting their pursuers, Anne and Milo devise a plan to take on Avoca, Carelli, and their men and win their safety. The plan signals a shift from evasion to confrontation.

In a final showdown, Avoca, Carelli, and their men are killed, wiping out the threat against Anne and Milo. The couple survives the confrontation and appears to have won their freedom.

With the danger eliminated, Anne and Milo escape together to a new life, presumably in France, continuing their relationship away from the mob. The ending suggests a hopeful, if uncertain, future.