David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) is a young computer whizz who hacks into what he believes is a new line of video games, little knowing that it is in fact NORAD, America's defence program. He inadvertently creates a hostile global situation, placing the world on the brink of nuclear war. Together with his girlfriend Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) and a misanthropic computer expert (John Wood), David must fight to prevent an atomic meltdown.

An FBI agent engages in a battle of minds with a woman she suspects of multiple murders in this thriller from director Bob Rafelson. Investigator Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger) becomes obsessed with proving glamorous socialite Catharine Petersen (Theresa Russell) is a murderess responsible for the deaths of several millionaires who died suspiciously soon after marrying. Believing her to have assumed a new identity each time, Agent Barnes sets out to prove her suspicions are true, but soon finds that she too is falling under the Black Widow's spell.