sam elliot be brilliant a a tough san francisco detective charlie fallon . when his partner be kill while meet with an informant fallon snap and beat the informant to death and and dump his body in a river . the next day fallon be assign a rookie partner and and give the task of investigate the informant murder . sam elliot do a good job of portray a man who torture by the guilt of his own murderous action and and grief over the death of his partner who may have be involve in police corruption .