In 1976, in South Africa during apartheid, Ben Du Toit (Donald Sutherland) is a South African school teacher. At Ben’s school, Gordon Ngubene (Winston Ntshona), a black man, seeks his help while investigating the death of his son during the Soweto Riots. Like many South African whites, Ben refuses to get involved in the racial divides that have been tearing the country apart, thinking that Gordon’s claims against the white minority government are unfounded.
Things change when Ben sees firsthand the brutality by his own race against blacks, particularly when he sees the dead body of Gordon at the morgue not long after being tortured at the hands of the secret, corrupt government police. Later, Gordon’s wife, Emily, is also killed under suspicious circumstances. Upset by this turn of events, Ben retains Ian McKenzie (Marlon Brando), a human rights attorney, to assist him with the case. Ben’s political awakening is so complete by this time that his crusade to bring those responsible for the deaths of Gordon and his family members eventually take their toll on his own family. Eventually, Ben confronts the ultimate price for standing up to a corrupt government for basic human rights and equality.