Braid (film)
Braid is a 2018 American psychological horror film written and directed by Mitzi Peirone and starring Madeline Brewer, Imogen Waterhouse, Sarah Hay, and Scott Cohen.
Braid | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Mitzi Peirone |
Produced by |
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Written by | Mitzi Peirone |
Starring | |
Music by | Michael Gatt |
Cinematography | Todd Banhazl |
Edited by | David Gutnik |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Blue Fox Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 82 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $80,745[1] |
Plot
Three former childhood friends that meet many years later with sinister agendas towards each other.
Petula and Tilda live as young artists in New York but make a living as drug dealers. After losing their stash and money in a drug bust, which they've barely escaped themselves, they are fugitives and also in debt with their drug supplier, who gives them two days to come up with the money. To remedy the situation the two seek out their former mentally deranged but rich childhood friend Daphne to rob her. Daphne lives alone in a large mansion on an estate in the countryside. To reconnect with Daphne and keep her distracted while planning the robbery Petula and Tilda engage with her in their old childhood games, which this time around however take a particular sadistic bent.
The local police detective Siegel, who knew all three woman as kids, tracks down Petula and Tilda to Daphne's mansion. When he shows up to arrest them and by that interrupts their game all three of them unite to murder him and continue the game afterwards.
Cast
- Madeline Brewer as Daphne Peters/Mother
- Imogen Waterhouse as Petula Thames/Doctor
- Sarah Hay as Tilda Darlings/Daughter
- Scott Cohen as Detective Siegel
Background and casting
Braid is the first feature film of Mitzi Peirone, who serves as both writer and director. The three main characters are played by Madeline Brewer (Daphne), Imogen Waterhouse (Petula) and Sarah Hay (Tilda), whereas Zoe Feigelson, Dhoni Middleton and Tai Lyn Sandhu portray their young alter egos.
Supporting characters include Scott Cohen as the local police detective Siegel, Brad Calcaterra as a homeless man witnessing Petula and Tilda arriving at the train station, and Rob Leo Roy as the train conductor.
In 2018, Braid was shown at several film festivals and it saw a limited theatrical release in early 2019 while being released as video on demand simultaneously.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 87% based reviews from 23 critics, of which 20 were classified as mostly positive (fresh) and three as mostly negative (rotten). The average score was 7.4 out 10.[2]
Katie Walsh of Los Angeles Times lauded the film for its cinematography and visual style as well as for its willingness to explore darker aspects of female friendship. She describes it as a "uniquely feminine horror film".[3] Glenn Kenny of The New York Times considers the film to be in parts reminiscent of the early Brian de Palma film Sisters and sees it as bitter parable on failing to chase your childhood dreams.[4] Matt Zoller Seitz of Rogerebert.com gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, and remarks that he "came away feeling that I'd seen, if not a major film, then a film by major talents".[5]
References
- "Braid (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
- "Braid (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes.(retrieved 2020-7-25)
- Katie Walsh: Review: Game-playing and shared psychosis infect singular feminine horror of 'Braid'. Los Angeles Times, January 31, 2019
- Glenn Kenny: Braid' Review: Childhood Friends Play a Dangerous Game in This Jumpy Thriller. The New York Times, January 31, 2019
- Matt Zoller Seitz: Braid at rogerebert.com, February 1, 2019
External links
- Braid on IMDb
- Braid at Rotten Tomatoes
- Film Review: 'Braid. Variety, 23 April 2018
- Braid: Film Review. Hollywood Reporter, 1 February 2019
- Gender Bashing: Feminine Fantasy in BRAID - Review at deadcentral.com