This thriller is set in a cookie company, where Peter Derns (Timothy Hutton) gets a job as an executive. His emotional state is vulnerable as he has recently been under psychiatric care for paranoia. It comes as a surprise to him that a major company has taken over his new company and his position no longer feels secure. His boss, Charlene (Faye Dunaway) is also worried about her position, and she piles the pressure on Peter to make a new product launch a success. Peter's assistant, Lance, leaves him in the lurch, but along comes a ‘temp', named Kris (Lara Flynn Boyle). Kris soon makes herself indispensable to Peter and has her eye on becoming his permanent assistant. However, her wonderful efficiency seems to have a dark side.
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Accidents and deaths befall some of Peter's colleagues, and he begins to suspect Kris as the cause. Because of his mental illness background, he is not believed. After a burgeoning romance with Kris, he starts to put distance between them and wants to salvage his own marriage. Things go terribly wrong for Peter when glass gets into the marketing sample for his new cookie product; once again, he suspects Kris is behind it. He also finds out that Kris has lied about her past. Someone frames Peter for leaking information to a rival company, but Kris rescues him by claiming she made a computer error, and he is promoted. Peter finds a dead security guard at the company's offices and he is hit from behind. He recovers to find Kris and Charlene locked in a fight, resulting in Charlene's death. Peter is made President of his company and is grateful to Kris for rescuing him. Later he changes his attitude, accuses Kris of framing him for Charlene's death and fires her. The audience is left to wonder what the causes of all the ‘accidents' were, who was to blame, and whether Peter had simply been paranoid.
Best part of story, including ending:
It has lots of twists and turns and suspense
Opinion about the main character:
He is essentially a decent person