Carla (Jimena Anganuzzi) is pregnant, alone, and trying to lead a normal life for the first time– or so it seems. During a rainy night, she requests asylum in the house, which also functions as a clinic, of Irina (Lola Berthet), a gynecologist embittered by her life and her own mother. Seeing that the mother-to-be has nothing to rely on or support, Irina makes a deal to give the baby up for adoption as soon as it’s born: Irina will take care of getting the adoption couple, and Carla only has to follow her instructions. But Carla is not a person attached to rules, nor to her own creed, so both will be forced to act and interact in different ways, affecting the comfort and health of each other, leading them to a life full of secrets to keep and bodies to bury.

At first glance, The Attachment Diaries (El Apego in Spanish) seems to welcome the audience to a story full of intrigue and drama. The reality is that this does not happen and, unlike what it seems, it shows something that might not pass through the mind of the viewer while seeing how a thriller of hysteria and violence is unleashed.

In this plot full of dark overtones and suspense that seems to translate into noir fiction bordering on satire, The Attachment Diaries contains elements of absurd horror such as psychopathological characters, events that could be real but rely on fiction, and dialogues that would only make sense before the exposed situation. There are several characters entering at different times, but only a few are developed to carry a good flow. Thankfully, these are the right characters carefully profiled to care enough for them as the rest play as additional elements.

It is notorious the story to be told is unforeseen by keeping alive the doubt of its purpose and twist. It’s not shy enough to make itself to be understood as an palatable plot, and it’s quite brazen in revealing itself when the feature sees it necessary to colorize the world it wants to portray. Strangely, the film takes time to catch on. It does not carry a tedious development thanks to the interpretations of the cast, but the doubt mentioned at the beginning could exhaust whoever sees it.

The Attachment Diaries tries to give a delicate treatment to themes that shouldn’t be complex nor controversial if they’re openly spoken about. Although there is a deliberate and sloppy exposure of mental health, and it cannot be overlooked when it acknowledges its place as a psychological thriller– in the end, it’s clear nothing and no one is perfect.

8 OUT OF 10 SCALPEL KNIVES