Elena McMahon, portrayed by Anne Hathaway, is a determined journalist operating from the Atlantic Post’s Central American bureau in El Salvador amidst the chaos of civil war. As she covers the escalating violence, she becomes increasingly perplexed about the flood of weapons and arms saturating the region. Her deep-seated curiosity leads her to question the motives behind the war and who is profiting from it.
A few years later, when she tries to revive her bureau’s operations, her editor reveals harsh realities—Congress is covertly pressuring the paper to scale back its coverage of Central and South American issues, especially after Elena's probing inquiries regarding the CIA's machinations in Nicaragua. Disheartened yet resolute, Elena is pushed aside to cover Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign in 1984.
Reluctantly, she agrees to reconnect with her estranged father, Dick McMahon, only to find him enmeshed in illegal dealings and struggling with dementia. As she embarks on the campaign trail, she cunningly secures a meeting with Secretary of State George Shultz to confront him about the U.S. involvement in Nicaragua and the shocking trade of arms. However, her efforts are continually stymied as she faces resistance and evasion from those in power.
Her investigative journey takes her to Houston, where she meets General Gus Sharp, who sheds light on the origins of American shell casings found in El Salvador. This revelation only strengthens her allegations against the U.S. administration regarding its support of the rebel forces in Nicaragua. Yet, her editor refuses to publish her findings, leaving Elena feeling powerless.
When Dick is hospitalized, she rushes to Florida to care for him but inadvertently gets roped into the dangerous world of arms trafficking to help him out of a financial bind. Entering the dark underbelly of international weapon deals, she faces unexpected challenges. Her first delivery in Costa Rica leads to a dangerous confrontation that forces her to seize control of her situation—using her courage to escape from dire straits.
Her luck seems to run out as she learns of her father’s passing while trying to navigate the complexities of American bureaucracy at the embassy. Struggling to accept her new reality, she finds herself drawn into the web spun by Treat Morrison, who appears to have his own agenda. Despite their initial confrontations, a night of intimacy reveals deeper truths about her father’s involvement and her own motivations for telling the story.
Just when hope seems to flicker, a deadly twist unravels—Elena is betrayed in a shocking turn of events, leading to a tragic end. The world learns of the Iran-Contra Affair through unexpected sources as her friend Alma Guerrero ensures Elena’s courageous fight for the truth lives on, revealing the harrowing reality of arms traded to fund unapproved military actions.
The film follows Elena’s harrowing investigative journey, encapsulating her transformation from a curious journalist into an unwilling pawn within a deadly geopolitical game, all while questioning the line between survival and betrayal. The gripping narrative exposes the complex interplay of politics, personal conflict, and ethical dilemmas in the face of overwhelming odds.
