Nobody Leaves/Braid Summary and Review - Three Rules. One Nightmare

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Nobody Leaves (also known as Braid) is a surreal psychological horror that explores female friendship through a lens of childhood, trauma, and twisted loyalty. The story follows Petula and Tilda (Imogen Waterhouse & Sarah Hay), two fugitives on the run after a police raid wipes out their drug stash and puts them deep into debt with their supplier. Desperate and out of options, they return to their hometown and seek shelter in the mansion of Daphne (Madeleine Brewer), a wealthy childhood friend. The plan? Get close, play nice, and extract the money from Daphne that they need to survive.

The Reunion

But this is no ordinary reunion. Petula anticipates that Daphne will insist that they revive a game the trio once played as children - one that comes with roles they must adopt and three strict rules: everyone must play, no outsiders allowed, and, ominously, nobody leaves. Tilda is hesitant but Petula convinces her that taking part might be their only way out of their predicament. What begins as an odd but manageable charade quickly spirals into bizarre punishments and savage manipulation, as Daphne exerts greater control over Petula and Tilda. 

Meanwhile, Detective Siegel (Scott Cohen) begins investigating the mansion after neighbours report unusual disturbances. The tension builds as he edges closer to the truth as to the whereabouts of the fugitives and Daphne, already spinning plates, must work harder to keep his suspicions at bay.

Nothing is What it Seems

Nothing is what is seems in this twisting psychological tale of an intense, and ultimately destructive, female friendship. The narrative unfolds in a dreamlike haze where forgotten memories resurface under the influence of drugs and psychological stress giving a glimpse into the trio’s shared trauma and how a pivotal moment in their childhood may have doomed them all.

As they become more immersed in the game, reality merges with delusion and the women become trapped in a twisted fantasy, culminating in an attempted escape followed by an orgy of violence that both seals their fate and reinforces the disturbing bond between them.

Intriguing and Disorientating

Visually, Nobody Leaves offers a striking, art house experience with dreamlike cinematography creating an atmosphere that is both intriguing and disorienting. However, while the concept is fascinating and the performances strong, the horror elements aren't intense enough to make it thrilling and the back story is undeveloped to the point that our grasp of the the motivations and history of the characters is frustratingly limited.

A Visual Poem

Ultimately, Nobody Leaves serves as a thought-provoking exploration of an unconventional (to say the least) friendship. Favouring mood over meaning and style over story, it may resonate with fans of art house cinema and psychological thrillers, though those looking for a more traditional scare may find it underwhelming.

The director, Mitzi Peirone, described her film as a “visual poem,” and I recommended it to a friend on this basis. She loved it. Me? Not so much. If you’re drawn to surreal, slow-burning psychological cinema, it might just be your thing. Otherwise, it’ll likely leave you cold.

2.5/5

Daphne Peters – Madeline Brewer
Petula Thames – Imogen Waterhouse
Tilda Darlings – Sarah Hay
Detective Siegel – Scott Cohen
Director: Mitzi Peirone
Writer: Mitzi Peirone
Release: 2019


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