On the evening of February 4, 1974, in Berkeley, California, the life of nineteen-year-old Patricia "Patty" Hearst (Natasha Richardson) takes a dark turn as she is kidnapped from her home, while her fiancé, Steven Weed (Scott Kraft), manages to escape. Her captors confine her initially in the trunk of a car before transferring her to a locked closet, where she remains for days, with minimal interaction that only involves the shadows of her abductors. One of her kidnappers, a man named Cinque (Ving Rhames), declares himself the general field marshal of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), which is responsible for the murder of Oakland’s Public School Superintendent, Marcus Foster. Their goal? To exchange Patty for the release of two SLA members imprisoned for Foster's murder.
The SLA members take turns indoctrinating Patty with their radical beliefs. One female captor explains their demands: they want the Hearst family to fund a program providing $70 worth of free groceries to every needy Californian. When Cinque compels Patty to record a message urging her father, Randolph A. Hearst, to support their initiative, her father publicly rejects their plan, indicating it would cost around $400 million.
Days pass, during which Patty grows increasingly weak and fatigued. Cinque communicates his broader objectives of creating a society where African Americans can live freely and access quality education, yet the SLA’s actions lead to chaos and unrest. Faced with the ultimatum of joining their cause or facing execution, she reluctantly opts for the former, even being forced to choose a member to assault her.
After two months of being blindfolded, Patty's sight is restored on April 3, 1974. For the first time, she meets Cinque and the other SLA members, who dress her in military attire and rebrand her as "Tanya." She records a message declaring her allegiance to their revolution. As they prepare for a bank heist, Teko (William Forsythe), another SLA member, teaches her how to wield a weapon, expecting personal favors in return.
During the robbery on April 15, Cinque introduces himself as a representative of the SLA as they embark on their mission. The situation escalates when a robber shoots an innocent customer. Following their infamous heist, the group revels in their success, with Cinque praising Tanya as a symbol of their uprising. However, Teko and Yolanda (Frances Fisher) caution her to remain vigilant as their newfound freedom attracts scrutiny.
When the SLA relocates to Los Angeles on May 9, 1974, the group continues their desperate measures. On May 16, while Teko and Yolanda attempt shoplifting, a tense standoff occurs with a security guard, leading Tanya to intervene by firing her weapon, showcasing her growing commitment to the cause. They make a daring escape by switching vehicles and picking up a high school student who is eager for adventure.
Hiding out in a motel, the group learns of the police's siege on their hideout, which ends tragically as all six SLA members are killed when their location is set ablaze. As tensions mount, Teko grows ever more frustrated, deeming the group too complacent in their planning. They regroup in November 1974, with a newfound affiliation, but as they regress into a cycle of violence and crime, Teko decides they should implement a plan to take down police officers.
The saga reaches a climax on September 18, 1975, when the FBI raids their safe house, arresting Patty Hearst and Wendy Yoshimura (Jodi Long). In the aftermath, Patty grapples with the mounting evidence against her as her trial begins. Although she initially declares she was not brainwashed, she finds herself unsupported by the jury and is ultimately convicted of bank robbery and firearm usage.
By July 22, 1976, Patty is sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Her father delivers the agonizing news that the Supreme Court has denied her appeal. However, she vows to shift the public perception regarding her case, determined to regain her freedom.
As the film concludes, we learn of the aftermath of Patty's story: she receives a commutation from President Jimmy Carter on February 1, 1979, and now resides on the East Coast, married to her former bodyguard, Bernard Shaw. Meanwhile, the fates of the other SLA members unfold, as they have all faced significant repercussions for their roles in the chaos.
