Paper Mask

Mathew Harris works as a porter at a busy London hospital. He spends evenings playing the banjo in his bedroom and dreaming of a medical career after dropping biology. This quiet life sets up his hunger for advancement.

One evening Harris witnesses a car crash outside a local pub; the driver is killed in a collision with a lorry. He recognizes the victim, Dr. Simon Hennessey, a doctor at his hospital who is seeking a Bristol residency. Harris takes the dead man's mail and submits a job application under Hennessey's name.

After studying medical texts and observing procedures at his hospital, Harris is accepted into a residency under the late doctor's identity. The newfound access gives him a chance to move into a medical role he dreamed of. The deception marks the start of his dangerous impersonation.

Harris quits his porter job and relocates to Bristol to assume Dr. Hennessey's post. He is assigned to the busy Accident & Emergency department and begins practicing as if he were the real doctor. His new role brings demand and pressure in equal measure.

In his first days, Harris handles cases with growing confidence but is reprimanded for sloppy patient records. The reprimand highlights the risks of his deception. He must balance speed with accountability as he slides into the role.

Nurse Christine Taylor meets Harris and offers help to cope with the workload. She becomes friendly with him and is quickly drawn to his charm. Her support gives him a steadier footing in this high-stakes environment.

Harris saves the life of a woman patient, earning praise and a surge of self-assurance. He becomes more capable and confident, but arrogance begins to seep in. The line between competence and deception starts to blur.

Harris and Taylor's professional closeness deepens into an affair. The relationship further complicates their work and loyalty to patients. It also makes Harris more reckless.

The wife of the chief medic dies while under Harris's care, triggering a negligence inquiry. Taylor takes the blame for the mistake and resigns in response. The incident exposes the fragility of his deceit.

Harris unexpectedly reunites with Moran, who has moved to Bristol to study nursing. He confesses his impersonation to Moran and asks him to keep quiet and leave the area. Moran threatens to report him if he doesn't disappear.

In a pursuit to silence Moran, Harris pushes him off a cliff. Moran survives with critical injuries and is brought back to the hospital. The attempted cover-up intensifies the danger Harris faces.

During Moran's struggle, a nurse finds a silver cigarette case engraved with Harris's name. She suspects the identity of the mysterious doctor and connects it to the ongoing impersonation. The discovery adds pressure on Harris to maintain his ruse.

Taylor visits the grave of the real Dr. Hennessey in London and realizes Harris has been masquerading as him. She confronts Harris with this truth, forcing him to face exposure. Their relationship strains under the weight of the revelation.

Harris persuades Taylor to identify Moran as Harris so the real Harris can be declared dead and the impersonation can continue legally. Facing mounting scrutiny, Harris transfers to a Salisbury hospital while plotting to move to London with Taylor, but he heads to Salisbury instead.

In the film's ending, Harris continues impersonating a doctor at his new hospital in Salisbury. Taylor hesitates to report him, fearing the consequences and potential misidentification of Moran. The deception remains unresolved as Harris keeps up the act.