'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.
