Summaries

Synopsis

The film opens with chemistry professor Barney Cousins (Jeff Bridges) at his cabin, perfecting methods in which to conduct a successful kidnapping. He is so dedicated to this that his wife Helene (Lisa Eichhorn) and daughter Denise (Maggie Linderman) suspect he is having an affair.

Jeff Harriman (Kiefer Sutherland) goes on vacation with his girlfriend Diane Shaver (Sandra Bullock), who vanishes without a trace at a gas station. Three years later, Jeff is still obsessed with finding out what happened to Diane, posting fliers and following leads relentlessly. One night, he stops at a diner, where the waitress Rita (Nancy Travis) sympathizes with his plight and looks after him. They begin dating and, a year later, move into an apartment together. Jeff, who is attempting to write a novel, meets with a publisher (George Hearn) who suggests he write a book about Diane's disappearance. Knowing this will upset Rita, he hides his project, buys a used military uniform at a surplus store, and uses army reserve drills as a cover to continue his search. One weekend, Rita accesses Jeff's computerized rough draft; she tracks him to his motel room and angrily confronts him. Jeff eventually abandons his search for Diane after Rita, unable to deal with his obsession, threatens to end their relationship.

Some months later, Barney discovers Diane's missing posters on campus covered with other fliers, leading him to surmise that Jeff has given up his quest for the truth. He decides to bait Jeff by sending him a letter inviting him to meet him at a country club to learn the truth about Diane, which Jeff does. While Barney secretly watches, Rita confronts Jeff again and breaks up with him. Barney arrives at Jeff's apartment and reveals his identity. Barney promises Jeff he will find out what happened to Diane, but only if he agrees to go through exactly the same thing she did. Barney explains his motive: He saved a girl from drowning, causing his daughter to view him as a hero. He states that this experience led him to an epiphany: With capability of great good also, could there come capability of great evil? The abduction of Diane was an attempt to answer that hypothesis.

In a short series of flashbacks, the build-up to the crime is shown: When Diane was in the gas station purchasing drinks for herself and Jeff, she asked Barney for a favor. She then complimented a bracelet that he was wearing, which was gifted to him by his daughter. Barney lied to Diane and claimed to sell them, and then invited her to his car so she could buy one herself. In his car, Barney used a chloroform rag to subdue and kidnap her. In the present day, Barney drives Jeff to the gas station where Diane was taken and tells him that if he drinks a drugged cup of coffee, he will discover her fate by experiencing it. Jeff does and, when he awakens, he finds he has been buried alive.

Rita calls home and hears Barney's voice on the answering machine; it had incidentally recorded him while Jeff was changing the message. Realizing that Jeff is in danger, she talks with a neighbor (Lynn Hamilton) who had witnessed Jeff leaving with Barney. She goes to Barney's home, where she meets his daughter Denise. Not knowing the circumstances and on her way to meet a boy, Denise rides with Rita and gives her directions to her father's cabin. When Rita arrives, a violent fight ensues with Barney eventually gaining the upper hand. Barney offers Rita the same deal that he offered Jeff, but Rita outsmarts him. She lies to Barney that she has kidnapped Denise and taunts him. She gets him to drink drugged coffee, but does not realize the drug does not take effect instantly. She goes in search of Jeff and finds a fresh mound of dirt. Believing that he has been buried alive, she digs him out, but is thwarted at the last minute by Barney. Jeff climbs out of his grave, kills Barney with the shovel, and embraces Rita. He sees another grave; realizing it belongs to Diane, he finally accepts her death. Jeff and Rita reunite as a couple and sell their story as a novel to a publishing company.