During the Cold War, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union (Russia) was non-existent. When a soviet spy is arrested here in the U.S., he must stand trial for his crimes. The U.S. State Dept. doesn't want to be directly involved so they involve a third party defense attorney. The challenge Donovan (the atty) faces is how to defend someone such as this? Should he be defended as if he were a citizen? as an enemy combatant? or as a human being? That remains to be seen. As time progresses, the trial and verdict come about. That in and of itself could have been a movie by itself, but this is so much more. Abel is in the custody of the U.S. Govt, and in any war, there ends up people on both sides. The Soviet Union ends up with a U.S. soldier, making a complicated situation between the two countries... even more so. The unlikeliest of everyone involved will be the unsung hero in the midst of this war. Finding a piece of common ground in unstable territory is harder than it seems. This incredible true story is brilliantly presented to us in this form. There are no grand Hollywoodized additions but this story doesn't need them. It's an in depth look into a dark time in history that few have ever seen.