[Editorial] Unravelling Mitzi Peirone’s Braid (2018)

Everyone must play, no outsiders allowed, nobody leaves.

It’s difficult to explain the plot of Braid (2018). The story is not linear. Like a braid, pieces of the story overlap and weave together, at times pieces are unseen and then revealed again. Similar to the way a braid looks best when it is finished, this movie is at its best taken all together, rather than piece by piece. Two young women, Petula (Imogen Waterhouse) and Tilda (Sarah Hay), are busted by the cops for selling drugs. They flee their apartment, abandon the drugs, and suddenly owe their supplier thousands of dollars, or he will kill them. They make a plan to visit a friend from childhood, Daphne (Madeline Brewer), who they know has a huge inheritance. They plan to steal her money and save themselves. However, Daphne seems mentally stuck in a game from their childhood, and Tilda and Petula must play along for a chance at the money. The game has three strict and ominous rules: “Everyone must play, no outsiders allowed, nobody leaves.” Braid is Mitzi Peirone’s debut feature, which she both wrote and directed. Her vision, coupled with strong acting performances from the three female leads, make for a layered story with no wasted moments. Usually when watching a movie, I know whose side I am on, or I know that I am on nobody's side. Braid kept me wondering, who am I cheering for? What outcome do I want? It’s a fine line to walk, choosing to keep the audience wondering just enough to stay intrigued and watch the mystery unfold without feeling lost. 

The title of the film is reflected throughout the story. A braid is three sections of hair or ribbon that weave together, taking turns which section is on top and which is hidden. A braid cannot exist without all three pieces working together. The three women in Braid who shared a childhood can only hold their fantasy life together if each one participates. Their fantasy life is held together by three rules, yet another braid metaphor, that all enhance one another.  

Every scene is packed with efficient storytelling, and even if you don’t know what you’re seeing when you first see it, it holds your attention. The film includes visual and auditory metaphors for infinite loops. For example, there is a toy train on a circular track that just goes around and around in an unending circle. Similarly, the children’s song “Row Row Row Your Boat '' is hummed and whistled throughout the women’s time together. That song is typically sung in a three-part round, and once started, could just be sung on a loop forever. Both the song and the toy are childish things, representing the way Daphne is stuck in her adolescence. 

It’s a testament to Peirone’s writing and directing that the characters’ personalities and values are revealed so quickly and efficiently through their actions.  The first time we meet Petula and Tilda, when they are dividing up drugs for sale, we learn how self-centered they are. They are focused on what they will do with their earned money, and Petula asks Tilda, “Is it bad that I don’t feel bad about this...like, at all?” Their driving force throughout the film is their own selfish purpose of theft. 

Much of Daphne’s character is revealed through the home she keeps, and she and her house seem similarly frozen in time. There are drawings in crayon posted on the fridge, though there are no children around. The drawings themselves are unsettling, featuring police and bloody crime scenes. It makes you wonder, “What child would have drawn that, and why is it on the fridge?” The house is in disrepair and almost falling apart around her. It’s dark, the walls are cracking, and there are leaks in the ceiling. Daphne lives in a giant house by herself, serving cake for dinner. It’s as if a little girl was left alone in charge, instead of an adult woman.

There is another key character in this film, Detective Siegel (Scott Cohen). Det. Siegel has been interested in these women since they were little girls involved in an accident he investigated. Now he is on the hunt for the missing Petula and Tilda. It’s clear immediately that the detective is not doing well. The first we see of him is in a small, messy, dark kitchen, where he fixes himself cereal in a dirty bowl, and uses water instead of milk. Those quick few minutes tell us all we need to know about him. The song Great Pretender is playing in the background of that scene, and that's also a clue to his character, though it’s easy to miss on a first watch.

Watching Braid is an experience. Let yourself be taken in by the colors, sounds, and unique story about female friendship. Each time you watch, you will pick up on something new - a line, a frame, a question - that will give you more context for your next viewing. This is a movie that not only benefits from multiple watches, I will say they are required. Watch it at least three times, once for each section of the braid. 

RELATED ARTICLES

---

---

EXPLORE

---

MORE ARTICLES

---

---