Burnt-out publicist Eli Wurman (Al Pacino) hopes to restore his reputation with a big benefit event. His client, Cary Launer (Ryan O'Neal), who's planning to enter politics, asks Eli to get his former lover, Jilli Hopper (Tea Leoni), out of town before she can ruin his reputation. While looking after Jilli, a drunken Eli witnesses her murder and is unable to decide how to handle it. Wrestling with his conscience, Eli is further unnerved by the arrival of an old flame, Victoria (Kim Basinger).