Ribbon

A story about two siblings, a homeless woman, a new boss and ribbon dancing.

Maggie (Gray) is a young woman who is tired of living at her parents' house and decides to temporarily live with Michael (Beard) her brother, at his apartment. Michael works at a well-established company and the owner has passed away, leaving his son Connor (Brown) to fill his shoes. Connor attempts to befriend Michael and asks for his help regarding the outrageous plans he has for the company. Meanwhile, while job hunting, Maggie learns about a ribbon dancing competition that is taking place at a shopping centre and wants to take part for the cash prize. However, competition rules state that she must have a partner. She then encounters Pearl (Tucker), a homeless woman who claims that she is a ribbon dancer and is willing to support Maggie with the competition. Delighted, Maggie invites Pearl to live with her at her brother's home, leading to all sorts of complications.

This low-budget comedy-drama provides a comical insight into life in present-day United States. It explores family values, self-discovery, the challenges of dealing with a new employer, homelessness, the idea of supporting others, looking for opportunities and moving on to better things and it shows that sometimes people are not what they seem to be.

The narrative takes consists of two storylines which consist of Maggie's efforts to prepare for the competition and Michael as he tries to cope with Connor's demands. There is plenty of humour and awkward situations. There is significant character development as the two siblings face their problems and begin to find out more about themselves.

The performances are OK, with Gray being convincing as a cheerful, optimistic and also naive individual. Tucker is believable as a homeless person and Beard does a good job as a down-to-earth guy. Brown is entertaining as a man who has been given responsibilities he does not want.

Although the majority of the movie is in colour, it includes sequences that utilize black-and-white cinematography and it is unclear why these sequences are like that and feel strange. At certain points, the camerawork is clumsy or shaky. The filmmakers use the split screen technique effectively.

The music by Chrim is rather interesting and amusing, adding positive qualities to the viewing experience.

Ribbon is mostly a comedy that teaches some lessons about life, including the need to have a goal and the importance of helping each other. The characters are interesting and the plot is likely to keep the viewer engaged.