A crappy movie about a family split apart and back together.
“Mother, Couch” is a dark comedy that tries to also be a surreal movie and a family drama, and it all becomes discombobulating. It has a terrific cast led by Ewan McGregor and Ellen Burstyn and a short film director like Niclas Larsson (“Vatten,” “The Magic Diner”) making his feature debut, but it doesn’t have direction or meaning. It all feels like a blender of elements that don’t taste as good as one would hope. In fact, it tastes rather crappy. Expired to say the least.
Based on the Swedish novel “Mamma i soffa,” we meet three siblings David (McGregor) Griffin (Rhys Ifans), and Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle), whose elderly mother (Burstyn) refuses to move from a green couch at a furniture store. In fact, she tells them that if they try to move her, she’ll kick and scream, and if they bring her to the stairs, she’ll throw herself down. That’s how stubborn she is.
“Clearly, there must be something wrong with her,” they’re thinking. So maybe getting her pills could wake her up. But I don’t think they’re the case with whatever is going on with that old woman.
She gives David a key to a dresser, wherever that thing is. But whatever is in that dresser might be able to give him some answers about his family’s life.
There’s also Bella (Taylor Russell), the young store manager and owner’s daughter, who lets the old lady and David to stay the night. He and the young meal share a meal, where she wants to know about his story. There’s a scene later in the film when he tells him: “People tend to get confused in a place like this.” I wish she warned him and us sooner. I think Russell is a natural young actress in the independent circuit, and if you don’t believe me, see her in “Waves” or “Bones and All.” But in “Mother, Couch,” she doesn’t have much identity in her.
Next, we have David’s wife (Lake Bell) trying to make sure he doesn’t miss out on their daughter’s birthday or their beach day. Of course, thanks to the stubborn mom, he misses his girl’s birthday, but is able to meet them at the beach, where he briefly looses her. And he doesn’t even apologize to girl for how he reacts to the situation.
And there’s F. Murray Abraham in a dual role as twin brothers and the owners of the store. They’re the kind Marcus and the mean Marcos. It all becomes confusing as one of them threatens to use a chainsaw if David doesn’t give him the $2000 for his store’s hospitality. But as the film’s reel keeps rolling, I think they’re able to have water under the bridge.
The best things about “Mother, Couch” feature McGregor showing off some real tears in regard to his own pathos, and the beautifully photographed images by cinematographer Chayse Irvin. They pertain to the inside of the store, as well as a storm sequence and the aftermath of it. And those two scenes take place during the last 20 minutes.
Other than those things, the movie doesn’t give us much to care about and drives us up the wall with the conflicts and behaviors within the family. And as a surreal movie, it’s difficult to stay focused, and it feels like we’re supposed to forget the last scene. I’ve tried to understand this movie, but in the end, I just couldn’t.
Now Playing in Select Theaters
