Meyrl Streep's performance as Karen Silkwood was excellent. She is just a worker at a neucular power plant who is exposed to plutonium and goes to the press to report unsafe working conditions. Cher and Kurt Russell play Silkwood's room-mate and boyfriend who also work at the plant and are exposed to the radiation and plutonium leak. They are told that they will develop cancer and other life-long heath problems. I couldn't imagine working in a neucular power plant. The extreme dangers on top of the risk of being contaminated would be too scary! Plus, if you were contaminated they sprayed you down with scalding hot water and vigerously scrubbed you until your skin was beet red! All against your own will! You were forced. Nope, I couldn't imagine it.