'Paper Covers Rock' tells the story of Sam who is struggling to recover from a depression which had provoked a failed suicide attempt and a brief stay in a mental facility. She moves in with her older sister, Ed, hoping to get some control of her life before regaining custody of a young daughter, who now lives with her ex-husband. After obtaining a cleaning job at Ed's office, Sam visits her therapist and secures some small successes which bolster her self-esteem. Unfortunately, as she tries to rebuild her life, Ed's manipulative tendencies undermine the foundations. The older sister's malign influence is exposed when a young executive at her office asks Sam out for dinner. Ed discovers his identity and sabotages the budding romance. This betrayal reignites Sam's sense of hopelessness, leading to a resumption of self-destructive behavior.
The film is graced with excellent performances from its cast and an intelligent script. The only drawback is the arc of Sam's character and story - when her fragile equilibrium is confronted by adversity, she appears to surrender to her demons too easily - feeding suspicions that she's most comfortable with the role of victim.
The film is graced with excellent performances from its cast and an intelligent script. The only drawback is the arc of Sam's character and story - when her fragile equilibrium is confronted by adversity, she appears to surrender to her demons too easily - feeding suspicions that she's most comfortable with the role of victim.