如日中天的华盛顿年轻议员史蒂文•柯林斯(本•阿弗莱克 Ben Affleck 饰)的女助手研究员突然遇害,柯林斯在针对军火商峰点公司的国会听证会上一时失态,致使婚外情曝光,成为众矢之的,只好跑去大学好友兼昔日竞选顾问,《华盛顿环球报》的资深记者卡尔•麦卡弗里(罗素•克劳 Russell Crowe 饰)家暂避。麦卡弗里在调查一起凶杀案的过程中偶然发现死者竟与柯林斯的已故女助手研究员有关。在同事德拉(瑞秋•迈克亚当斯 Rachel McAdams 饰)的帮助下,随着麦卡弗里的调查一步步深入,峰点公司内幕与国会议员的丑闻纷纷曝光。麦卡弗里面对新闻竞争、事件真相、昔日友情与社会公正的多股力量,最后报道究竟何去何从?A petty thief is gunned down in an alley and a Congressman's assistant falls in front of a subway - two seemingly unrelated deaths. But not to wisecracking, brash newspaper reporter Cal McAffrey who spies a conspiracy waiting to be uncovered. With a turbulent past connected to the Congressman and the aid of ambitious young rookie writer Della Frye, Cal begins uprooting clues that lead him to a corporate cover-up full of insiders, informants, and assassins. But as he draws closer to the truth, the relentless journalist must decide if it's worth risking his life and selling his soul to get the ultimate story.