Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix star in this action-packed story about an outwardly normal family with an important secret. FBI agent Roy Parmenter (Poitier) uncovers startling information that turns teenager Jeff Grant's (Phoenix) world upside down. Parmenter tries to convince Jeff that his parents are Russian spies-undercover agents planted in the U.S. until they're "awakened" and called to duty. Torn between love for his parents and love of his country, Jeff is forced to grow up overnight. Under the agent's guidance, he bravely attempts to untangle the web of intrigue surrounding his parents. Parmenter, bitter and suspicious, is forced to re-examine himself as he becomes embroiled in a conflict that involves the lives not only of a boy and his family, but of the whole human species.