Side Effects follows Karly, a political science graduate who joins a pharmaceutical company as a sales representative. To succeed she must look attractive and adhere to strict marketing rules. Being sincere, she achieves remarkable professional success, for which she was rewarded generously and later she was nominated for the “Industry Rep of the Year” award. Karly discovers that her company has systematically concealed serious side effects of one of its new drugs. During the award ceremony, in her speech, Karly speaks about the company’s unethical practices and invites a victim of the drug to the stage.