一名证券经纪人在儿子生日那天因枪击事件死在公司。两年后,死者遗孀控告枪支制造商维克斯堡,索取巨额赔偿,拥有三十多年从业经验的代理律师洛尔(达斯汀·霍夫曼 Dustin Hoffman 饰)宁肯凭借个人经验选择陪审团成员,但还是接受与陪审团筛选顾问劳伦斯合作,因为此类控告枪支公司的案例胜少败多。另一方面,枪支公司聘请著名陪审团筛选顾问蓝金(Gene Hackman 饰),全面调查陪审团成员背景,以期掌控陪审团。 青年尼克(John Cusack 饰)入选陪审团,但他的目的一开始看来就不单纯,尼克运用多种手段,在陪审团内部和蓝金的力量展开争夺,尼克的搭档玛丽(Rachel Weisz 饰)同时向洛尔与蓝金发出信号,承诺他们出钱就可以控制陪审团。蓝金在和尼克的争夺中焦头烂额之际,他的部下发现了尼克真正的意图……Wendell Rohr is a torts lawyer taking on the gun lobby. Rankin Fitch is the jury consultant for the Defendants and between them the battle is for the hearts and minds of the jury. But there is someone on the inside. Nicholas Easter is a juror with a girlfriend, Marlee, on the outside. they have a past ..... and their own agenda.