Full Disclosure

Fred Ward is very natural, convincing. Christopher Plummer as a FBI boss is good too but it's not such a great role. Penelope Ann Miller very good in the role of a killer.

Started watching this on cable, not sure exactly how much I missed of the start, but it couldn't have been to significant since I didn't miss anything important. Wasn't planning on watching it but I just got sucked into it and wanted to see how it would all end. The plot, like most of these DTV efforts, had major holes and logic fallacies but if you got a decent 'suspension of disbelief' you can gloss over them. Kinda liked how the lead male and female looked more akin to real people, compared to the 'Hollywood Ideals' you get in a big budget film. The production values where decent enough for a DTV movie and didn't really detract and make you think 'TV Show' most of the time.

The main problem I had with the film is it tried to get a bit to clever at the damn end with its lame ending. I don't believe in spoilers but lets just say the payoff for watching the whole movie isn't exactly up to par with what you would expect it to be. Pretty weak. In conclusion, If I had known what I was getting I wouldn't have taken the time to watch it all.

I swear to you, that is an actual line in this. When will film-makers learn not to give audiences stuff that is so easily converted to insults about their work? I haven't watched, or even heard of, anything else by the director or writer, and suspect that their involvement in putting this thing together is the main reason it comes up short. The script could use help(the cliché-count is dangerously high, many of them appearing in the otherwise at times great dialog), especially the cheesy ending. It is an interesting and important subject that continues to be relevant today; the Israeli/Pakistani conflict. I liked the very noir-like music that was used, as well. The plot has plenty of developments, some of them surprises. Pacing isn't too bad. There is tension in this. The cast has proved talents(Madsen is underused). I like Ward; he's yet to disappoint me, and he's proved that he can be serious and funny without trying too hard. He's a tad similar to Clint Eastwood with the look and the voice(yes, that is about how far you can go in comparing them). The acting varies, but the leads are pretty good. It's unfortunate that this doesn't go above the level of being decent. I was entertained, for what it's worth. There is a bit of strong language and a little brutal violence and disturbing content in this. I recommend this to big fans of the concept or those who made it. 5/10

Fred Ward plays the lead here, an alcoholic journalist with dark secrets, but he has a good relationship with his boss, Virginia Madsen, who was always a favourite of mine and who lives up to her reputation here. She tells him straight in a quarrel that she hopes he doesn't have any dark secrets, but she should only know. She trusts him anyway, he provides good stories, and that's all she wants from him. Two colleagues out of his dark past turn up and ask him to give shelter for a few days to a dark Peruvian lady in trouble, who is wanted by the FBI. He has been assigned to follow up a murder (which introduces the film), and it appears she is involved in that mess. He refuses to shelter her at first, but as she convinces him she has no secrets, they become allies, and the thriller begins. Although slightly muddled, the fast change of scenes is sometimes confusing, but the story is interesting and the drama is great. Christopher Plummer plays the FBI chief in charge of the case, while Rachel Ticotin is the lady in distress - they all act superbly. The climax keeps your teeth clenched, there are several nervy escapes, but it is well worth following to the end, which leaves some question marks still unanswered.

The reason I watched this movie was because Fred Ward was in it.He seems to always portray an interesting character,and is the type of actor who doesn't seem to be acting.Additionally the supporting cast of Christopher Plummer, and Virginia Madsen both favorites of mine offered promise.Unfortunately the story line unfolded lugubriously. The college radicals who did bad things in the sixties has been overdone. The flashback technique to that era was uninspiring.For me the highlight of the movie turned out to be the song that was sung when the ending credits appeared. Too bad that neither the name of the song nor the singer was identified because the song lyrics were more memorable than any of the movie lines.