Kate Soffel (Diane Keaton) is married to a prison warden in Pittsburgh, and is the mother of their four children. Ed Biddle (Mel Gibson) is a convicted murderer awaiting execution on death row with his brother, Jack (Matthew Modine). When Kate meets Eddie through her Bible readings to the prisoners, she is drawn to him, and they pursue a clandestine relationship. She agrees to help the brothers escape, and begins a treacherous journey with them to freedom in Canada.