Braid 2019

Petula and Tilda, two young artists trying to make ends meet in the bustling streets of New York, find themselves ensnared in a perilous lifestyle as they deal drugs. Unfortunately, a disastrous encounter with the police leaves them bereft of both their money and stash, forcing them into a frantic situation where they must repay their supplier within twenty-four hours. In a desperate bid to secure their future, they turn to their childhood friend, Daphne, who now inhabits a lavish yet isolated mansion in the countryside. Their plan revolves around discovering a hidden safe rumored to hold a substantial amount of money.

As the three reconnect, they revive an elaborate fantasy game from their youth, transforming their interaction into a twisted power play. In this intricate game, Tilda takes on the role of a young girl, with Daphne portraying her mother, and Petula stepping in as a visiting doctor. The rules are stark and binding: all must participate, outsiders are strictly forbidden, and no one is allowed to leave. As the game unfolds, Daphne’s increasingly peculiar demands escalate the tension, pushing Petula to perform surreal tasks, including striking Tilda’s knee with a hammer and engaging in disturbing role-plays.

Meanwhile, Tilda is plunged into the chaos of a bad drug trip that forces her to confront a traumatic memory of their shared childhood—a dark incident that saw Daphne falling from their treehouse, leading to her current unstable mental state. This past trauma blends seamlessly with the present as Daphne becomes convinced that she is genuinely their mother, compulsively binding and gagging both girls. Amidst this torment, Detective Siegel, an individual familiar with their history, arrives at the mansion after neighbors report hearing unsettling screams. Although his suspicions about Daphne’s erratic behavior rise, he has no grounds to investigate further and leaves, unaware of the peril that lurks within.

In her delusion, Daphne begins offering Petula clues about the safe’s location and code, promising freedom if Petula can unlock it. Petula manages to access the safe, allowing them to flee. However, their escape quickly turns tragic when Daphne, in a frantic state, runs Petula over and drags them back to her mansion. The fear escalates as Daphne confines Petula to a chair and locks Tilda in a cage, forcing Tilda to witness as Daphne brutalizes Petula by giving her a Glasgow smile.

The following day, Daphne declares that the “game” has ended, insinuating she believes she is pregnant from her encounter with Petula. Seizing this opportunity, Petula manipulates Daphne into believing she needs an emergency caesarean section to gain power over her. As the tension builds toward a climactic confrontation, Detective Siegel reenters, gun drawn, but quickly meets his demise as Daphne stabs him repeatedly. Tilda, caught in the throes of mania, gleefully joins in, while Petula, horrified at first, succumbs to the chaos and aids in the gruesome act of bludgeoning him to death.

After hastily burying his remains in the mansion’s yard, the three women lapse back into their warped reality, each bearing the ghosts of their past and the wounds inflicted during Daphne’s torment, only to miraculously find those scars vanished. As Petula grows increasingly suspicious of their surroundings, a shocking revelation unfolds: the entire narrative has transpired within the confines of Daphne’s mansion, and each supposed escape attempt by Petula has been met with cruel punishment. The trio’s suicides ultimately appear staged, revealing the game resumes, now with an elderly Daphne in a decaying home, underscoring the cyclical, endless nightmare they have unwittingly created for themselves over the years.