In New York, during the height of World War II, an American community begins to unravel when a man and his wife become victims of mistaken identity. Lawrence Newman is an ordinary man who does not want to stand out in a dangerous world. Even when a woman is attacked outside his Brooklyn window, he remains quiet about what he saw, unwilling to make waves and so fearful, he even begins to question what he truly saw. But then unassuming Newman and his outspoken new wife, Gertrude, become caught up in a case of mistaken identity. Slowly ostracized at home and work, they learn the value of solidarity as they struggle to maintain their dignity while confronting their nation's lurking anti-Semitism. The unwitting focus of his neighbor's prejudice, Newman is faced with a choice: go down as a coward or take a long shot at becoming the unlikeliest of heroes by telling the truth.