Madeline's Madeline 2018

Madeline, a solitary teenager, finds herself immersed in a dynamic world of professional acting as part of an experimental theater troupe staging an improv performance based on The Three Little Pigs. She relishes the camaraderie with her fellow actors and their director, Evangeline, yet she dreads returning home to her mother, Regina, who often fails to grasp Madeline’s complexities and initiates arguments. One fateful day during rehearsal, Madeline confides in Evangeline about a troubling dream where she imagines placing a hot iron on her mother. Disturbed yet intrigued by this disturbing imagery, Evangeline suggests they explore the dream through an improv exercise. The emotional weight of blending her life and her art overwhelms Madeline, prompting her to leave the theater, leading to a frantic search by Regina.

Upon reuniting with her daughter, Regina learns about Madeline’s expired prescriptions for a mental health condition, intensifying her struggle to secure a swift refill. As the creative process unfolds, Evangeline shifts her attention towards Madeline’s experiences, steering the artistic focus of their performance towards her life. During a promotional photoshoot, she invites Regina to join Madeline, further entrenching their familial ties in the project. When Madeline is invited to Evangeline’s birthday celebration post-rehearsal, she showcases her acting prowess amongst bewildered guests, even flirtatiously engaging with Evangeline’s husband.

Striking a chord of vulnerability, Madeline and Evangeline discuss their personal insecurities, leading Madeline to express a desire to step back from acting. Evangeline supports this choice, fostering a sense of relief in Madeline as she contemplates her newfound creative freedom. However, this reprieve feels short-lived when Evangeline unexpectedly visits Madeline’s home. Over shared glasses of wine, Evangeline encourages Regina to explore acting, suggesting she attend rehearsal the next day.

During rehearsal, tensions rise as Evangeline orchestrates a workshop where the cast is instructed to embody Regina, unknowingly igniting deep-seated emotions in Madeline. Her portrayal strikes a nerve, prompting Regina to exit the rehearsal in tears. Unfazed, Evangeline revels in the authenticity of the emotions, pushing for a reenactment of the scene while stepping outside for a crucial phone call. In her absence, the cast grows disenchanted by Evangeline’s perceived manipulation of Madeline’s feelings and bond together to stage a provocative performance designed to confront her.

At first, Evangeline resists the shoving and prodding, but ultimately, she becomes integrated into this unconventional performance. The confrontation leads to an impromptu expression of freedom as the entire troupe spills into the street, dancing joyfully in the sunlight, while Madeline strides away in the opposite direction, navigating the complexities of her life.