Made in U.S.A

In 1968, journalist Paula Nelson travels to Atlantic-Cité to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend Richard Pulitzer, only to discover he has died, apparently of a heart attack. The discovery sets Paula on a dangerous path as she begins to question the official version and seek the truth behind his death.

Edgar Typhus bursts into Paula's hotel room and offers to help investigate Richard's death, but Paula senses ulterior motives. She refuses his aid, knocks him out, and drags him into a neighboring room where she meets Richard's nephew David Goodis and David's girlfriend Doris Mizoguchi.

In the neighboring room, Paula forms a preliminary connection with David Goodis and Doris Mizoguchi, and together they begin to dig into Richard's disappearance. Paula's investigation starts pulling in people connected to Richard and the local political turmoil.

Paula's every move is shadowed by Paul Widmark, the local police inspector, and Donald Siegel as she pursues leads. The pressure pushes her to distrust the authorities and continues the danger surrounding Richard's death.

An anonymous call lures Paula to a warehouse, where someone knocks her out. When she regains consciousness, she finds herself in a garage with Widmark, who questions her about Richard's hidden evidence and plays audio tapes of Richard's communist views.

Back at the hotel, Widmark reveals that Typhus and Doris have been killed and that Inspector Aldrich has arrived from Paris to investigate. He hints that Paula herself might be a suspect and that she needs to cooperate to uncover the truth.

Inspector Aldrich interrogates Paula but eventually lets her go after David Goodis changes his story about Paula's involvement. The tension between Paula and the investigators deepens as the case develops.

Paula learns that Richard owned a secret villa. Siegel, who had been cast aside by Widmark, shows her photos of Richard's murder and admits he killed Typhus and Doris after they discovered her room. He offers to lead Paula to the villa for money, but she shoots him instead.

Paula realizes that an extremist faction within the local Communist Party engineered Lacroix's murder to pit left factions against each other, and then killed Richard to cover their tracks. The case is reframed as a political power struggle rather than a simple homicide.

Paula and Widmark devise a plan to protect themselves by exchanging letters confessing Typhus's murder and Richard's murder. Paula also hopes Widmark's confession implicates the powerful Dr. Edward Ludwig, shielding her from retaliation.

When Paula obtains Widmark's letter, David Goodis sneaks up and shoots Widmark from behind, killing him. Paula then shoots David in retaliation, a violent turn that cements the film's fatal politics and distrust.

Standing at a highway tollbooth, Paula sees her friend Philippe Labro drive by and accepts a ride, beginning a discussion that hints at the uncertain future of political struggle. She warns that there will be a fascist uprising, but hopes for strength to resist.

In the car with Philippe, Paula and Labro debate the limits of political binaries and the need for new terms to discuss change. The ending leaves Paula resolved to fight back, signaling an ongoing, unresolved struggle beyond the case.