Loudon Trott (Griffin Dunne) is a straight-laced lawyer assigned by his boss and prospective father-in-law to pick up free-spirited parolee Nikki Finn (Madonna) from jail and make sure she gets on the first bus out of town. However, Nikki forces Loudon to take a detour so she can find evidence that will clear her name. As he accompanies Nikki on her quest, joined by a South American panther he has picked up for another client, Loudon finds himself falling in love with the kind-hearted Nikki.