Gail (Meryl Streep) is a professional at water rafting. She twigs every day, and she is in a very good shape. She takes her family, one day, to a rafting trip down the river, but she has no idea that the planed trip is about to become a nightmare. Two escaping robbers with a handgun, meet the family in the way, and join them to the trip. Only later the Gail realize that their new friends are dangerous criminals, but it's too late. The two men force them to stay together, and to keep cruising down the river. The family's life are risked not only by the 2 men, but also by the river which becomes more stormy and wilder.