La familia en el diván

OK so here's what happens. Mother (Ellen Burstyn) is in a store and sits down on a couch and refuses to move. Her 3 children Gruffud (Rhys Ifans), David (Ewan McGregor) and Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle) all meet up at the store to chat to their mother. They are perturbed at her not telling them why she won't move from the couch. There's lots of chat, but it is inane and banal chat which doesn't mean anything and doesn't tell us anything except all 3 of them seem slightly inept at life. This continues, until the end of the film. There are no redeeming factors. Ewan McGregor is his usual low grade self, quite how he gets jobs I have no idea. The dialogue is awful, there's no explanation of development of any characters, it really is appalling.

There does not seem to be a coherent story here, the score appears to match that of a farcical comedy, the acting is well below par except for Ellen Burstyn, and the dialogue is confusing and irritating in it's banal nonsensical way.

I honestly can't tell you what it's about because it doesn't seem to be about anything. I gave it a 2 and that's solely for Ellen Burstyn's part in it.

Ewan McGregor's mother Ellen Burstyn visits a furniture store and doesn't want to leave. Ever.

That's the basic plot of "Mother, Couch", a small and very odd film with an all-star cast.

Is the film supposed to be taken at face value or is it an allegory? Is Ellen Burstyn's titular mother in God's Waiting Room, or simply a lady who doesn't want to get off the couch?

I will say that the film sits a little better now having slept on it than it did when I was actually watching it. It clocked in at only 1hr 36 min but felt way longer. There are no big moments or cinematic fireworks but rather a sober and somewhat off-beat exploration of the human condition.

McGregor plays David, a harried and anxiety-prone family man whose unhappy life gets weirder when his elderly mother sits down on a couch at Oakbeds Furniture store and decides that she's not going anywhere, come hell or high water. (We get a little bit of both).

David's two adult siblings are of little use during this family crisis. There's the forgetful slacker Gruffeld (Rhys Ifans) and the bitter and put-upon Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle). The film exposes their toxic relationship as they try to bring their mother home. Or as Linda suggests, should they just leave her there?

The store is about to close, but an employee has at least a temporary solution: there's a bed near the couch and David can stay the night. Taylor Russell plays the pretty employee Bella and is a ray of sunshine in this dark film. There's a hint that there might be a sexual spark between she and David, but he should be so lucky.

Burstyn at 91 is one tough-as-nails broad in the central role playing a less less than sympathetic character. She's a mean mother but we can see where she's coming from.

The film was inspired, at least in part, by a Swedish novel called 'Mamma i soffa'. The film's writer and director Niclas Larsson making his first full-length feature said at a screening I attended that he read the first 10 pages of the book when he paused and wrote his own script. It's allowed, he said, as this is art. True; just don't look for an accurate page-to-screen adaptation.

Larsson did assemble an absolutely stellar cast with F. Murray Abraham and Lake Bell in supporting roles.

"Mother Couch" (2024), directed by Niclas Larsson, is an ambitious and daring exploration of the abstract, fusing dark drama and comedy in a way that defies traditional storytelling.

What stands out most in "Mother Couch" is its bold attempt to blend art with narrative. Larsson's vision feels more like a visual art installation than a conventional film, designed for viewers who have an appreciation for the slow, dark, and often bizarre corners of cinema. The film's pacing is deliberate, with long, introspective scenes that some might find tiresome, but those with a passion for art-house films will likely find it thought-provoking. This is a movie that requires patience and an openness to unconventional forms of storytelling.

At its core, "Mother Couch" seems to be about the art of healing, showing how unresolved family dynamics can manifest in strange ways. The characters, though emotionally distant at times, ultimately search for closure, making this film a contemplative piece on the complexities of human relationships.

While it may not cater to mainstream tastes, "Mother Couch" is a unique entry for cinephiles who seek something different, especially those interested in the fusion of art and film. It's an experimental journey that, while imperfect, deserves credit for its originality and daring approach to dark comedy.

I think this film deserves a review even though I'm still processing some of the scenes.

This is not an easy story to describe. So I understand some negative reviews that may be posted.

Much of the investment is with McGregor's character and his relationship with his mother. This unfolds initially as a straight-forward affair of a son whose mom refuses to leave a furniture store (staking her claim on a specific couch in the store).

As the story progresses, you begin to realize not everything is as it seems. Once you realize this, the film takes on a different light and the focus on McGregor's character becomes a bit more justified.

Still, I think the brother and sister deserved a little more substance of character than what was provided. Kudos to Lara Flynn Boyle for making the most out of something less.

I came here to see if the ratings were in the 7s or had reached 8. It's not even in the 6s. Proof audiences, especially American audiences, have become so dumbed down that even the movie "Idiocracy" flies over their heads.

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