At the start of the movie, a hostage situation ends badly. Well, maybe not that badly, but I won't say why.
But FBI negotiator Laura Martin, who has been divorced for several years, has a bigger problem. Her daughter Taylor thinks Laura cares more about her job than her daughter. After all, Laura is late picking up Taylor from school.
Taylor's bitterness is normal enough for a teenager (there is the obligatory locking herself in her room and turning up this so-called music so loud it makes the world go away). And one of her problems is that her mother is dating Frank, another FBI agent. She hates him. But Taylor's problems are minor compared to those of her best friend Annie.
Annie may die soon unless she can get an experimental treatment from Barraby Hospital, which happens to be located in the same city where Annie lives. Annie's father has died, but at least he had a good insurance policy, so her mother Elizabeth can concentrate on caring for her daughter. Unfortunately, this hospital cannot afford to give the treatment Annie needs to everyone who wants it (at this stage, insurance won't help), and a lottery determines the "winners".
Another hostage incident ends badly, this one at a prison that houses mentally ill patients. Laura doesn't follow procedure and she may lose her job (which would be fine with Agent Di Carlo, who she replaced). But she will have one chance to redeem herself.
This movie was almost a total waste of time. It seemed like five minutes couldn't pass without Laura on the verge of crying or Taylor being a brat. There are some tender moments that last about three seconds. But then comes the one hostage incident that almost--ALMOST--makes the movie work. Still, there are unnecessary and ridiculous complications, and people who seem to have little regard for their fellow human beings--if you are a criminal, it seems you deserve to die just because you can be killed.
Elisabeth Rohm had her occasional good moments, most of them related to her ability as a negotiator. Even if she doesn't always go by the book, she has the best of intentions. But there's nothing outstanding here.
