UCLAcollegestudentJonathanMoore(AnthonyEdwards)isplayingagamecalled"Gotcha"(popularonmid-1980scollegecampusesas"Assassin"or"Tag"),whereintheplayersareallassignedamock"hit"onanotherplayerbyuseofaharmlesspaintballgun.MooreandhisapartmentroommateManologoonavacationtoParis,France.AftertouringsomeofParis,inacafeMooremeetsSashaBanicek(LindaFiorentino),aCzechoslovakiangirl.Eventually,JonathanhasintercoursewithSasha,losinghisvirginity.
JonathandecidestoleaveManolo(whoisheadingtoSpain)andgowithSashatoWestBerlintospendmoretimewithher.JonathanbelievesthatheisinlovewithSasha.There,JonathanandSashacontinuetohavesexandevengotoanOktoberfestbeergathering.Onenight,SashatellsJonathanthatshehastogotoEastBerlintopickupapackage.OnenightafterarrivinginEastBerlin,Sashaleavestheirhotelroomandwalkstodarkstreetcorner.There,SashameetsaGermanmanwhotellsherthelocationofthepickupofherpackage.Meanwhile,SashawasbeingmonitoredbyaSovietagent,whowassittinginacaratadistance.Duringtheday,SashatellsJonathanthatifshegiveshimacertainmessage,itmeansthathehastoleaveEastBerlinimmediately.Atacafe,SashagivesJonathanapackageandsaysthatastrudelisinside.Alittlelater,SashatellsJonathantomeetheratthebutchershopneartheirhotel.Allofasudden,aSovietagentbeginstochaseafterSasha.SashadecidestouseJonathan(whoisholdingherpackage)tounknowinglygetthepackageovertoWestBerlin.Meanwhile,SashaistakenbytheSovietagentandEastGermansecretpolice.
JonathangoestoCheckpointCharlietocrosstheheavilyfortifiedborderintoWestBerlin.AttheEastGermancustomssearch,Jonathanisstrippedofhisclothesandgivenacavitysearch.Meanwhile,Sashaisstrippedandsearchedforpossibleespionageevidence.VladarrivesatthebordercrossingtosearchforJonathan,howeverJonathanpassesthebordersafelybeforehecanbecaptured.OnceinWestBerlin,JonathanfeelsliberatedbytheWesternizedsociety.Inthehotel,JonathanreceivesamessagefromSashatomeethimataspecifiedlocation.Jonathanfindsoutthathishotelroomwasbrokenintoandrobbedofhistraveler'schecks.SovietagentseventuallyfindJonathaninWestBerlinandchasehimthroughoutapublicpark.JonathanjumpsintoawatercanalandmanagestoescapefromtheSovietsandstumblesuponaGermanrockgroupheadedforHamburg,whoofferhimaridetotheairport.
TherockgroupsuccessfullygetJonathantotheairport(usingfull-facemakeuptosneakhimpastacheckpoint)andJonathanfinallyarrivesinLosAngelesTomBradleyInternationalAirportandtohisapartment.Soon,VladandabandofSovietagentsarrivetooinLosAngeles.Oncehome,Jonathanstumblesuponafilmcanister,whichwasplantedbySasha.JonathanvisitshisparentsandtellsthemwhathappenedinGermanybuttheycannotbelieveawordofitandthinkJonathanisondrugs.JonathandecidestocalltheFBIthentheCentralIntelligenceAgencyforhelp.Jonathanreturnstofindhisapartmentbrokenintoandlooted.
TheCIAofficertellsJonathantogivethemthephotofilmcanister.AttheLosAngelesheadquartersoftheCIA,JonathanspotsSashawholookslikeshewasworkingthere.JonathaneventuallymeetsupwithSasha.SashaadmitsthatsheisCherylBrewster,aCIAagent,originallyfromPittsburgh.Outofnowhere,VladandhisgangbegintochaseJonathanandCherylontheUCLAcampus.JonathaneliminatesalltheSovietswithatranquilizergunwhichhegetsfromthecampusveterinarysciencesbuilding.TheSovietsarearrested,theCIAagentsthankJonathanforhis(indirect)helpinobtainingthefilm,andSashatellshimshewantstocontinuetheirrelationship.
Aftertheypart,Jonathantalkstoaprettystudentwhorebuffshimcoldly.Asshewalksaway,heaimsthetranquilizerpistolandshootsherintherear.
