A recovering alcoholic, womanizing reporter, who can't stay out of trouble with his bosses (mostly because he is sleeping with their wives), inherits a human interest story about a prisoner, who is sentenced to die at midnight for the murder of a pregnant woman who owed him $96. However, the reporter immediately figures out that the key witness lied about what he saw and believes the prisoner is innocent. He then sets out to prove his belief in the final 12 hours of the prisoner's life. James Woods appears as Eastwood's Editor-in-Chief and the only man who still believes in his talents. Denis Leary is Eastwood's direct editor, who wants him fired for his direct belligerence and the fact that he slept with Leary's wife.

SPOILER In the novel, the death-row inmate was white. Clint Eastwood changed his race for the film to "make it more relevant". The book author deliberately choose to make the inmate white because it would be more believable that people would fight for him as witnessed in the Illinois State Freedom Project.

Alan Mann:
Stop fucking Bob's wife. He doesn't like it.

Crew or equipment visible: Camera reflected in window during the execution scene.

Written by Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone
Performed by Kenneth Burrell (as Kenny Burrell)
Courtesy of MCA Records
Under License from Universal Music Special Markets