Attachment (2023)

 

 
Streaming Service: Shudder
Movie Name/Year: Attachment (2023)
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Romance
Length:  1h 45min
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Nordisk Film Productions, Shudder
Director: Gabriel Bier Gislason
Writers: Gabriel Bier Gislason
Actors: David Dencik, Ellie Kendrick, Sofie Gråbøl, Josephine Park, Elinor Znaider, Filippa Marcella Olesen Olsson
 
IMDb Blurb: 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.

 

 
Cat’s Point of View:
Horror and romance are a genre pairing that you don’t see every day. That was a bit of a running theme of Attachment because it also featured a story steeped in Jewish folklore and mysticism. You absolutely don’t see that everyday when it comes to horror cinema. There seems to be a bit of a recent spike in the popularity of tales leaning into the Jewish religious and ethnic background, and we are here for it. 

I’ll be the first to admit, however, that I know very little about this particular corner of folklore. I was raised Catholic and have had infrequent exposure to the traditions, tales, and superstitions of the Jewish community. For that reason, I am unable to really speak to how well the material was handled from an authenticity standpoint. That being said, it was absolutely refreshing to see a production explore this particular concept. The whole horror genre dealing with the paranormal, spirits, demonology, and its remedies has been monopolized by singular theology for far too long. 
 

I certainly hope that Attachment handled the subject matter respectfully. It appeared to do so by taking the subject matter seriously and not making light of any of the aspects of belief portrayed. I identified with the character of Maja, an outsider to the faith wanting to learn more in order to get to know her girlfriend and her mother better - and better understand what was going on around her.

Honestly, I am unsure why Attachment was marketed as a comedy at all. There are a few moments of levity here and there, but definitely not to such an extent that it deserved a genre label. This was a slow-burning tale that built upon an undercurrent of unease. Attachment was the opposite of a popcorn variety horror flick. 
 

 
I really adored the love story that unfolded on screen between the young women. We got to see the whole story play out from meet-cute through the development of something more serious. All the while, subtleties began to erode at the edges. I was really blown away when I realized that this was the feature-length film debut for writer and director Gabriel Bier Gislason (Samuel's Getting Hitched, Purple Haze). 

Attachment was a beautiful and complex story and its release is well-timed in February. If you’re looking for a good horror movie this month for Valentine’s Day, this wouldn’t be a bad choice at all for a cozy night in. Just keep in mind it’s not one conducive to a party. 

Attachment releases on Shudder Thursday, February 9th, 2023. 
 

 
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 100%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –None
Metascore – None
Metacritic User Score – None
IMDB Score – 6.3/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5
 
Trust the Dice: Parental Guidance Rating - R

Movie Trailer: