在这部红尘剧情片中,警官Dirk Hendricks (Bartlett)为Alex Mpondo(Ejiofor)呈交特赦申请，后者为南非议会的议员和政治活动家，他忘掉了他被俘虏而接受的酷刑。同时，南非洲出生的律师Sarah Barcant (Swank)回到家园来代表Mpondo和Mpondo的朋友Steve Sizela，后者和Mpondo一起被拘捕，但之后音讯全无。
The South African lawyer Sarah Barcant travels from New York back to her hometown to represent the member of the Parliament Alex Mpondo in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission since torturer police officer Dirk Hendricks has made an application for amnesty. The parents of Steve Sizela request Sarah to represent them also since their son that was arrested with Mpondo but has gone missing. Hendricks uses one break in the trial to threaten Mpondo, promising to destroy his political career telling that he was a traitor. But Mpondo, who is a man traumatized with the torture, anticipates and tells what has happened to Steve Sizela and him in the hands of Hendricks and his superior Piet Müller. Will the remains of Steve be found and the truth disclosed?
