Mother, Couch
By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Unpleasant, surreal comedy has swearing and smoking.
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Mother, Couch
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What's the Story?
In MOTHER, COUCH, David (Ewan McGregor) rushes to Oakbed's Furniture store, where he finds his mother (Ellen Burstyn) sitting on a couch and refusing to leave. His older brother, Gruffudd (Rhys Ifans), and sister, Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle), arrive, but no one seems to be able to do anything. Helpful clerk Bella (Taylor Russell) offers to let David spend the night in the store, since they've got everything they need there. David talks with Bella about how dysfunctional their family is and hears some unpleasant truths from his mother. The next day, things turn even stranger and more nightmarish for David as he tries to get his mother and himself out of the store.
Is It Any Good?
Starting out as an absurd comedy and moving into a surreal nightmare, this unpleasant movie is about characters who talk a lot and listen very little, making for a confusing, frustrating experience. It's possible to make an entertaining, squirm-inducing comedy about every conceivable thing going wrong for a character in the most horrific way possible (Martin Scorsese's After Hours is one example), but Mother, Couch isn't that kind of movie. It's based on a 2020 Swedish novel by Jerker Virdborg; perhaps something got lost in translation. David seems somewhat frantic about his mother's odd conundrum, but when he speaks to his wife (Lake Bell) about it, he sounds as if absolutely nothing is going on. Characters seem to bond in one scene and then are at each other's throats the next, with no rhyme or reason. And the family's history, as it's explained to us, doesn't make much sense, either.
That said, Swedish-born writer/director Niclas Larsson creates an affecting, unsettling atmosphere, with an even more unsettling sound design. He also gets fine performances from the great cast; F. Murray Abraham gets to push the envelope playing both owners of the furniture store, a pair of squabbling twins. But it's ultimately unclear what's really going on. Mother, Couch seems to celebrate family in some scenes and points an accusing finger at it in other scenes. Ultimately we're left without even so much as an indentation in the couch cushions of our moviegoing experience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Mother, Couch's violent scenes. How did they make you feel? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How are drinking and smoking portrayed? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
What does "surreal" mean? Do you think this movie is surreal? Why or why not?
How does the movie demonstrate, or not demonstrate, communication?
What is the family dynamic like between the mother and the siblings? Do you think the ordeal improved their relationships? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 5, 2024
- Cast: Ewan McGregor , Rhys Ifans , Taylor Russell
- Director: Niclas Larsson
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Film Movement
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 96 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 2, 2024
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