Shocking: ‘Mother, Couch’ Begins with Unmoving Parent and Gets Insanely Weirder!

Whether it delights your love for the absurd or tests your understanding of narrative coherence, it’s undeniable that the Buñuel-inspired drama “Mother, Couch” is a unique, entirely unpredictable journey from start to end. It’s also, in various ways, captivating, thought-provoking, puzzling, and unsettling, and it’s likely to polarize audiences with its dreamlike aims and allegorical contemplations.

The film, directed and adapted by first-time feature director Niclas Larsson from Swedish writer Jerker Virdborg’s 2020 novel “Mamma i Soffa” (“Mom on Sofa”), is primarily set in Oakbeds, a chaotic, cavernous furniture store with a strange sense of homeliness. Here, an 82-year-old woman (Ellen Burstyn), clad in a 1960s-style blond flip wig and known only as Mother, is immovably attached to a display couch.

As to the reason why, we’re left in the dark (as with many things in this film) and Mother appears unfazed by her decision to remain stationary. However, this merely serves as a catalyst for her middle-aged children — the downtrodden David (Ewan McGregor), the lively Gruffudd (Rhys Ifans), and the aggressive, chain-smoking Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle) — to come together and try to coax their stubborn mother off the couch before the store shuts for good, potentially.

Sales associate Bella (Taylor Russell of “Waves”), who we learn is the daughter of Oakbeds’ unpredictable twin proprietors, Marcus and Marco (F. Murray Abraham in a dual role), serves as the moral compass of the narrative as she attempts to help David and his siblings resolve their predicament. However, her behavior and intentions soon become as nonlinear as the rest of the plot, adding to the film’s intensely surreal and quirky nature.

The three half-siblings, estranged and each with a different father, carry with them a wealth of tumultuous family history, especially concerning their problematic mother. Now that they’ve been thrown together, they might have a slim chance of mending their shattered bonds. David, however, is deeply wounded and in a cathartic outburst, he attempts to address unresolved issues from their childhood. This is a gut-wrenching scene and McGregor, who delivers an outstanding and often heartrending performance throughout, shines particularly brightly here.

David is also confronted with some stark truths about his mother’s life, her disdain for motherhood, and her romantic disappointments. If it wasn’t clear before, Mother confirms her role as a self-centered, manipulative, and possibly irredeemable figure. The legendary Burstyn, now 91, commits wholeheartedly to her prickly character. She continues to demonstrate her mastery of her craft.

As if David doesn’t have enough to deal with, he also has to manage the needs of his wife (Lake Bell) and two young children. However, his frantic interactions with them away from his mother and siblings seem more like added stressors rather than elements that contribute to or clarify the primary narrative. This is where the film loses some of its drive.

Like actual dreams and nightmares, the tale, filmed in North Carolina, gradually evolves into increasingly strange and cryptic territory. The narrative culminates in a tense, impressively executed climax that provides perhaps the clearest insight into the film’s theme of familial bonds and the necessity of letting go, even though much remains open to interpretation.

Larsson successfully handles his star-studded cast and the film’s labyrinth-like series of events and interactions, showcasing his promise as a director to watch. It’s an exceptional debut.

For some, “Mother, Couch” will be a haunting and thought-stirring viewing experience, possibly warranting a second watch to better understand the film’s enigmatic narrative elements. However, less patient or adventurous viewers may want to approach with caution, although not necessarily discouraged from watching it.