From the onset as Dave, Ewan McGregor’s character strides across a barren car park, “Mother, Couch” appears vacant. Dave, donned in a formal black suit, walks towards a shop resplendent with unique, antique pieces. Bella, an effervescent desk clerk, portrayed by Taylor Russell, awaits him, her father and uncle absent. Ellen Burstyn plays Dave's mother who's staunchly planted on a green couch of purported personal significance, and refuses to move. Among the cast of family members includes Dave's brother Gruffudd (Rhys Ifans) and their sister Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle), both set to join the scene soon in an attempt to dislodge their mother from the couch. A promising premise laden with strange and secretive undertones, this is quickly dispelled by its aimless, absurd plot direction.
The film, under Niclas Larsson's stewardship, largely takes place within the unpredictably huge space of the furniture store, using various showrooms akin to a continuous liminal space stirring memories of Charlie Kauffman’s knack for utilizing ordinary surroundings to delve into hidden anxieties. This is intermingled with escalating deadpan absurdities evocative of Roy Andersson. The overwhelming feeling though is one reminiscent of Paul Thomas Anderson's films. The endless expanse of the furniture store coupled with Dave's frantic demeanour rekindle strong echoes of “Punch-Drunk Love.”
However, unlike Anderson's quirkily charming film, “Mother, Couch” falls flat and lacks a character depth worth investing in. Dave remains an unlikable character due to his strained relationship with his soon-to-be ex-wife Linda (Lake Bell) and neglect for his daughter. As much as the viewer would like to sympathize with Dave's struggles; his passivity, lack of depth, and dull demeanor make it difficult to show interest in his world or his dull companions. The camera, too, lacks a distinct viewpoint throughout, heightening the overall confusion.
Using Jerker Virdborg's Swedish novel Mamma i soffa as a base, Larsson amended large portions of the original story, resulting in an ambiguous narrative and overemphasizing on the couch as a symbol for stagnancy and inability to move on. Ultimately, this film fails to grip the audience fully with a lack of clear motivators for the storyline and characters and relies too heavily on ill-translated humor and performances by actors like Burstyn, an underutilized Russell, and McGregor, who all seem to be struggling in their roles. The film limply attempts to extract emotional redemption from a surreal ending, but the impactful turning sweep towards strangeness comes too little too late.
Some might connect with "Mother, Couch" as it attempts to navigate the conflicting feelings associated with unruly parental relationships. Still, the movie itself remains as unsettled as the issues it tries to address, making it an uncomfortable watch.
