Following the murder of a radio personality in Chicago, all evidence of the crime points to a white supremacist group from Iowa. With the FBI on the case, the department sends inexperienced agent Catherine Weaver (Debra Winger) on an undercover mission to root out the killers. Falling for her guise, local farmer and suspect Gary Simmons (Tom Berenger) fully embraces Weaver into the community. As Weaver spends more time with Simmons, her belief in his guilt diminishes and love takes its place.