Attachment (2023) spoiler free review
A slow burn horror romance story in the Jewish folklore. Attachment (Natten har øjne) is a Danish horror romance film written and directed by Gabriel Bier Gislason released at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2022. The film will be available in the horror streaming service Shudder on February 9, 2023.
Maja, a Danish has-been actress, falls in love with Leah, a Jewish academic from London. Leah suffers a mysterious seizure, and Maja returns with her to London. There, she meets Leah’s mother, Chana, a woman who could hold dark secrets.
Film synopsis
The cast includes Josephine Park (Doggystyle) as Maja, Ellie Kendrick (Game of Thrones) as Leah, Sofie Gråbøl (The House That Jack Built) as Chana, David Dencik (No Time To Die) as Lev, Lado Hadzic (Borgen) as Tailor.
My opinion
A horror film relying on Jewish folklore, religious allegories, and codependency that falls into a disappointing resolution. Attachment shows the beginning of the relationship between Maja and Leah after meeting in a library. Quickly they’ll develop feelings but without knowing much of each others life. This sparks the tension in the couple after Leah suffered a seizure forcing them both to travel to London to Leah’s mother house and Maja realizes that a secret is hold in between the walls. From the moment Leah returns home her mother insists in doing everything for her even when she’s capable of doing it on her own.
Maja and Leah’s mother Chana relationship starts with the wrong foot and Maja’s efforts only pushes them further. Once the plot twist appears everything starts to make sense and their relationship can finally develop. Sadly, towards the end the film becomes another generic possession horror movie. What starts as a strong, original, captivating horror film turns into a disappointment in the third act. The acting, score, cinematography, and story converge on a satisfying exploration of family dynamics and superstitions. Unfortunately, the ending takes away from the excellence that the film presented at the beginning.