Recently let go from her job and heartbroken after a breakup, Emily Middleton is determined to make the most of a planned trip to Ecuador. Learning about her daughter’s situation through social media, Emily's mother, Linda, encourages her to return home to help her move on. However, motivated by adventure, Linda ultimately agrees to accompany her daughter on the journey.
Upon arriving in Ecuador and settling into their hotel, Emily encounters a charming man named James who piques her interest. A budding romance quickly develops between them. However, their escapade takes a dark turn when, during a sightseeing trip alongside James, masked assailants in a white van ambush and abduct both Emily and Linda. While James makes a narrow escape, Emily finds herself waking up in a cell, engulfed in panic. To help alleviate the tension, Linda resorts to reading men's magazines, showcasing her unique coping mechanism in distressing moments.
The leader of their captors, Hector Morgado, soon orders his nephew to relocate the women to a more secure hideout. In a decisive moment, Emily manages to escape from the captors’ vehicle alongside Linda by overpowering Hector’s nephew with a shovel, although not without some gruesome consequences. Stranded in the heart of the jungle, they find an opportunity at a nearby bar to reach out for help, contacting U.S. State Department officer Morgan Russell, who instructs them to head to the consulate in Bogota, Colombia.
On their journey, they encounter Roger Simmons, an American who pledges to assist them in locating the consulate. However, as their luck begins to falter, Morgado and his henchmen track them down, leading to a tense showdown where Linda cleverly distracts Morgado, allowing Emily to grab a spear gun. In her frantic attempt to regain control, Emily inadvertently fires the weapon, resulting in a tragic loss for Morgado.
With their escape plans thwarted, Jeffrey—Emily's agoraphobic brother—learns of the kidnapping and joins the efforts to rescue his family. As Morgan and Jeffrey strategize to locate Emily and Linda, the duo traverse the Colombian jungle, experiencing harrowing challenges, including Simmons’ dramatic fall from a cliff. After being treated for a tapeworm infestation by a local doctor, their troubles are far from over, as Morgado's men soon catch up with them again.
In a daring move, Emily and Linda decide to brave a zip line for their escape, but the treacherous nature of their situation forces Linda to sacrifice her escape for Emily’s safety. Successfully reaching the U.S. Consulate, Emily resolves to rescue her mother, enlisting the help of Ruth and Barb—two American women she met in Ecuador. Their reunion leads them to James, who has been entangled with Morgado’s gang. In a twist of fate, the women manage to rescue Linda just as they attempt to flee once more in a truck.
As Morgado confronts Emily armed with malice, it is Linda’s quick thinking, using a dog whistle, that turns the tide in their favor. A dog intervenes, allowing U.S. State Department agents to arrive and apprehend Morgado, leading to an emotional reunion between Jeffrey and his family.
Fast forward one year, Emily and Linda embark on a new adventure to Kuala Lumpur, only for Emily to encounter yet another potential suitor. This time, she opts not to entertain romantic advances and instead chooses to enjoy a dance with her mother, symbolizing their resilient bond forged through adversity.
