When his plane makes an emergency landing in Siberia, ballet dancer Nikolai Rodchenko (Mikhail Baryshnikov) is recognized as a defector and brought into custody. Returned to Leningrad and reunited with his former love, aging prima ballerina Galina Ivanova (Helen Mirren), Nikolai meets American dancer Raymond Greenwood (Gregory Hines), who defected to the Soviet Union during the Vietnam War but has secretly grown disenchanted. Together, they plot an escape to the American consulate and freedom.

A suspenseful movie that depicts the strength of the human spirit who will fight at any cost to gain its freedom. Life can be a challenge when you cannot make your own decisions. These two strangers will work together to obtain the thing that most people take for granted, freedom. They will forge a friendship that will be tested throughout this movie. Mikhail Baryshnikov's flawless performances are breathtaking to watch. I studied ballet for 15 years and watching him dance with such grace and purity has always taken my breath away and inspired me to let my passion for dance soar.