| Director | Joan Micklin Silver |
|---|---|
| Genre | comedy drama |
| Runtime | 101 min |
| Country | United States |
The film revolves around a team employed at The Back Bay Mainline, an alternative newspaper in Boston, as they face the threat of a takeover by a major corporation. The key figures in this story include Harry Lucas, a disenchanted lead reporter, talented photographer Abbie, who has an on-and-off again relationship with Harry, Lynn, the kind-hearted and dedicated office administrator, Max, a flaky music critic, Michael, a pretentious writer/author intending to relocate to New York, Laura, a founding reporter on the paper who is living with Michael, David, an eager cub reporter, and Frank, a beleaguered editor-in-chief.
Various subplots unfold throughout the narrative. For instance, Laura grapples with her relationship with self-absorbed Michael, who plans to move to New York using the proceeds from an upcoming book. A party celebration at which Michael repeatedly patronises and ignores her leads to Laura spending the night at Harry's house, before Michael arrives for a confrontation. Ultimately, despite strong reservations, Laura decides to sacrifice her own career and accompany Michael to New York.
David, an inexperienced reporter who commutes on a bike, seeks to prove himself by landing a significant and potentially risky story. A shady record producer whom David pursues for an interview agrees to talk to him, but instead sends two hired goons to meet him and beat him up. Max, Harry, and Abbie attempt to intercept him, arriving just in time to witness David getting a bloody nose.
Harry is drifting in his writing career, becoming disillusioned with journalism and his own ability to create meaningful change in the world. He declares his love to Abbie when they spend a night together, but she rejects him.
Throughout the film, rumors circulate about the newspaper's acquisition by a corporation, specifically a communications empire. Towards the end, it is revealed that a group led by Roy Walsh intends to purchase and manage the paper. In a meeting, Walsh asks Frank to dismiss Harry, branding him a "moving force in the wrong direction." Lynn, the administrator, is the first to resign.
In response to his termination, Harry fantasizes about walking to Walsh's office and shoots him with a suction cup dart toy pistol. In reality, he meets Abbie at a bar. They reconcile and when Max arrives, they leave him there alone. Max cons a stranger into buying him a drink.