A woman struggles to come to terms with her divorce after accidentally locking herself in the attic.


MAGGIE IN THE ATTIC is used with permission from Kim Krohn. Learn more at   / maggieintheattic  .


Maggie is a 30-something woman who has found her way back to her family home. She recently hit a rough patch in her personal life -- which includes going through a divorce -- and is struggling to put the pieces of her life back together. But it's hard, especially when she's depressed and it's too easy to fall into old childhood dynamics with her parents.

When her parents leave for vacation, she's tasked with a series of chores, which she can barely manage. Somehow, she locks herself up in the attic, where she is forced to deal with her actual and metaphorical baggage, and ask for help from the person she wants to see least.

Written and directed by Kim Krohn, this slice-of-life dramedy is about a woman whose life is falling apart. She's back at her parents, going through a breakup and divorce and she just can't get it together. She struggles through a small yet telling series of obstacles: a broken doorknob, calling a skeptical friend, and getting the number of a locksmith who turns out to be very expensive. Her reaction is often flustered, dramatic and exasperated in turns. In many ways, Maggie has reverted to an earlier, perhaps more immature self.

On paper, the action could be played as screwball comedy, but the storytelling is character-focused and gently paced, finding humor in the often ironic peccadilloes of life and capturing it with an easygoing, naturalistic visual style. There's a wisely affectionate tone in its observation of how we create the drama that makes our life difficult. Maggie could make one phone call to find an extra set of keys at her old place, but she can't quite face her ex (or their new partner) in such humiliating circumstances. Her sadness and stubbornness keep her stuck in the attic for longer than she'd like.

Actor Liba Vaynberg plays Maggie with a nice balance of a woman going through a difficult time in life and an innate quirkiness. It would be easy to play her as a zany neurotic, but the performance is grounded, with moments shaded with relatable grief and sadness. As she goes through her things, including mementos from her wedding, she is forced to confront her grief head-on. But as difficult as it is, it helps her move on and get out of the places where she's stuck, literally and figuratively, in life.

Compelling, relatable and sympathetic, MAGGIE IN THE ATTIC is a seemingly modest film, but it has tremendous heart and empathy not just for its main character, but for anyone who has been paralyzed by the difficulties of life and heartache. Like many people, Maggie doesn't want to face her baggage, fearing more raw pain and suffering. But it's necessary to unpack those regrets, sorrow and confusion. It's not fun or joyful, but after, Maggie has some degree of peace -- one that lets her move forward, one small step at a time.