In this movie a young (24) Jennifer Connelly plays a Spanish speaking lady, Irene, in Chile, working as a magazine reporter, during the time when the country was being ruled by a military dictatorship. A perpetual "state of emergency" has been declared, and opposition are hunted down, killed, and the bodies hidden. Irene has been engaged since they were children to her cousin, Gustavo. While they carry on erotically like young lovers anywhere, there does not appear to be the mystery and passion of "discovered" love. Along comes Irene's discovery, Francisco (Antonio Banderas, 34), trained as a Psychologist but now trying to get a legitimate job as a photographer. Irene hires him.
Francisco and his family, which includes a priest, are out to expose the crimes of the military regime, and is able to get Irene involved in an investigation. Breaking out of her thus-far sheltered life, she is anxious to help get to the bottom of all this, while she is realizing that she doesn't love Gustavo.
SPOILERS. As crimes are being exposed and it becomes known that Irene is involved, she is gunned down in the street, but manages to survive. Military is watching the hospital, but after she has shown some improvement she is sneaked out, she and Francisco manage to stay for 10 days at a spa in the mountains where she can gain strength, and they leave on horseback as the military show up looking for them. They eventually get to Spain, where they live for 15 years, and are able to return to Chile in 1989, after a democracy is restored.
Francisco and his family, which includes a priest, are out to expose the crimes of the military regime, and is able to get Irene involved in an investigation. Breaking out of her thus-far sheltered life, she is anxious to help get to the bottom of all this, while she is realizing that she doesn't love Gustavo.
SPOILERS. As crimes are being exposed and it becomes known that Irene is involved, she is gunned down in the street, but manages to survive. Military is watching the hospital, but after she has shown some improvement she is sneaked out, she and Francisco manage to stay for 10 days at a spa in the mountains where she can gain strength, and they leave on horseback as the military show up looking for them. They eventually get to Spain, where they live for 15 years, and are able to return to Chile in 1989, after a democracy is restored.