Tribeca Festival Review: The Supernatural Thriller ‘Attachment’ Provides Eeriness and Story, Despite Some Confusing Elements

“Attachment” is playing at this year’s Tribeca Festival; and I must say, it’s a bit of a mind trip. Written and directed by Gabriel Bier Gislason, it’s full of misdirections and red herrings throughout — and the description given by the film festival would have you believe it’s more nefarious than it is. Other reviews for this film have questioned labelling it with the term ‘horror,’ and I agree with them. This is more of a supernatural thriller, wrapped up with themes of over-attached parenting, LGBTQ love, and unearthing long-buried secrets. The film is eerie, but handles the material a bit clunkily, which is its only real defect. But it’s still suspenseful and psychological throughout, and will likely find its audience. 

The film starts innocently enough, as we’re introduced to Maja (Josephine Park), who meets Leah (Ellie Kendrick) at a bookstore on the way to an event. Maja is a washed-up Danish actress, and Leah, studying abroad in Denmark, is attracted by her blunt nature. The two quickly form a connection and relationship in the two days that follow, before Maja offers to follow Leah home to London, where she lives above her overprotective mother, Chana (Sofie GrÃ¥bøl). The new couple seems happy; but that’s not where the film wants to take us. 

Real Emotions and Stage-Setting Propel ‘Attachment’

“Attachment” has several things going for it, notably its acting (some of which requires some pretty intense body acting by Kendrick), its atmosphere, and its slow-burn nature. It starts as your typical overprotective-mom-who-doesn’t-like-her-daughter’s-partner film, but quickly devolves into something more. This is Pride Month, and I do like that the film focuses on Maja and Leah’s relationship as a real, tangible thing we can feel, and not something used cheaply for plot. And even though Maja doesn’t really fit in with the Orthodox Jewish community of this particular section of London, there’s no anti-LGBTQ themes present in this movie; Gislason works hard to side-step them and instead present an eerie thriller that is simply that. 

This film is hard to review without plot spoilers, but I will do my best. The reason being, is along the way, Director Gislason sets up occurrences that seem one way, and then become another, until you’re really not sure what to think. For instance, we start by seeing Chana as a typical overbearing mother who wants her daughter to feel as profound in her Judaism as does she. Rituals and remembrances define her. Things are complicated, as Leah reveals that Chana never really felt this way until her devout Jewish husband left her, and she’s never been the same since. Sometimes during “Attachment” we can tell that Chana really loves Leah; however, other times we’re not so sure. 

Red Herrings and the Supernatural Cause Some Confusion

There’s also red herrings thrown in with regards to Maja; and at certain points the film becomes devoid of heroes or victims, and jumbles our emotions up accordingly. One scene — after a dinner in which Maja suffers anaphylactic shock — is especially head-scratching. But so are other random occurrences in Leah’s shared apartment with Maja, including candles that remain lit though no one lights them, Jewish artifacts left strewn about, and eerie trips by Maja to visit — unbeknownst — Leah’s uncle Lev (David Dancik). She learns about Jewish folklore, and the notion of a ‘dybbuk,’ a sort of demonic possession that sometimes shares, and sometimes takes over its victims’ body and mind. 

“Attachment” is, on the surface, a tale about parental over-attachment and control; but sometimes its focus on Jewish folklore takes our attention away from the unhealthy patterns between mother and daughter, and makes us focus on the supernatural. It’s billed as a story in which a disapproving mother tries to cast her daughter’s lesbian girlfriend aside, but that’s really a misnomer. It’s not Maja, which Chana fears, but rather Leah leaving her in any capacity. We’ve seen this in Denmark, as Chana calls her repeatedly just to check on her flight’s departure. And one occurrence as Chana massages Leah’s broken leg — I can’t spoil what happens next, but…wow — adds to the creepiness. But whenever “Attachment” identifies a single antagonist, it switches gears. To me it was somewhat confusing. 

Fans of Supernatural Horror will Like this One

The film picks up towards the end, however; and, despite dealing with all sorts of occult things, doesn’t spiral into madness or a Cronenberg-esque body horror show. We start to see that some of the parties involved might have different intentions than we’ve seen, and the acting is solid all around. Park plays the part of the caring girlfriend trapped in a world she doesn’t understand well, Dancik is stalwart and commanding, and GrÃ¥bøl really excels as both a creepy attachment freak and a woman with regrets of what she’s done to her daughter. She and Kendrick’s final scene is oddly touching, and I can’t remember the last time a supernatural film made me feel that. 

All-in-all, despite some clunkiness, “Attachment” is a decent film. It has great sets and atmosphere, lighting, misdirection, and folklore; all of this adds to the eeriness of the film in a way that works to pull you in. It has some script issues, and some focus issues, but none of it is a deal breaker. In his own way, Director Gabriel Bier Gislason makes strides for religious acceptance of LGBTQ love; at the same time, he wraps the proceedings up in mystery, intrigue, and, at times, insanity. “Attachment” is not a perfect film, but a good one; it’s definitely one you should catch during your time at Tribeca this year. 

“Attachment” is currently doing rounds in this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. 

Support the Site: Consider becoming a sponsor to unlock exclusive, member-only content and help support The Movie Buff!