It's an intertwined drama of three women set in modern times in India, Italy, and Montreal, Canada. The three women each face lift-changing crises that finally connect by the end of "The Braid." Smita (Mia Maelzer) is an impoverished Dalit Hindu woman who desperately wants a better life for her daughter, Lalita (Sajda Pathan). She is willing to risk all in this pursuit.
Giulia (Fotini Peluso) is a young Italian woman who works in her century-old family business. Suddenly, her father (Mimmo Mancini) is in a serious automobile accident and lies in the hospital in a coma. Giulia, against the wishes of her mother (Manuela Ventura), tries unorthodox ways to save the business with the help of Kamal (Avi Nash).
Sarah (Kim Raver) is a single mother and partner in a Montreal law firm. She has 10-year-old twin sons (Adrian and Dorian Doroslovac) and a struggling 16-year-old daughter, Hannah (Sarah Abbott). Sarah suddenly faces a crisis that sends her already hectic life over the top.
"The Braid" is cleverly presented and emotionally compelling. Maelzer, Peluso, and Raver are all excellent, though Raver's character had believability script problems. Secondary characters are more forgettable or don't have enough time to develop. That's a problem with a two-hour movie telling three stories. Nonetheless, the film moved me, especially the story in India that resonated with the message of "Origin," another film I've recently seen.
