The protagonist, John Tanner, is the host of a popular television show that investigates government conspiracies. He is approached by a CIA agent named Lawrence Fassett, who informs him that his three closest friends – Bernard Osterman, Richard Tremayne, and Joseph Cardone – are actually Soviet agents planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil. Fassett offers Tanner a deal – he will provide the evidence he needs to expose his friends' true identities, in exchange for Tanner's assistance in capturing them.
Tanner initially agrees, but becomes suspicious when Fassett's actions and motives become increasingly erratic. He begins to doubt the validity of the evidence and the CIA's intentions. As Tanner and his friends are surveilled and their secrets are exposed, Tanner is forced to navigate the web of deceit to uncover the truth.
The Osterman Weekend is a tense thriller filled with violence, action, and betrayal. The film was directed by Sam Peckinpah and stars Rutger Hauer, John Hurt, and Craig T. Nelson. Its twist ending has become a classic of the genre.