TIFF 2023: Mother, Couch Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Every once in a while, comes a film whose premise and title are so out there that it is easy to doubt whether or not it would work before being surprised. On the flipside, there are certain films that are exactly what we think they are. In this case, that film is Mother Couch, one that delivers what its title suggests but does very little of note with it. Though it involves a mother and a couch, they are not enough to act as a jumping point to tell an impactful story with any emotional significance. Considering all those involved, it is a real shame as they are all weighed down by a truly ridiculous script in spite of their clear efforts in trying to make it work. In the end, its cast, featuring Ewan McGregor, Rhys Ifans, and Ellen Burstyn, will be the difference between whether or not it will work in the eyes of audiences who will merely spend most of their time waiting for something to happen. The opposite of endearing, countless creative choices throughout the film are sure to have most rolling their eyes.

With a title like Mother Couch, the story is pretty self-explanatory but to offer more specifics, a man named David’s (McGregor) life is turned upside down when a trip to a furniture store results in his mother (Burstyn) finding a couch to sit down on and refusing to get up. Needing to get to the rest of his life and his various obligations, anxiety began to set in which was arguably made worse by his laissez faire siblings, including his brother Gruffudd (Ifans) and sister Linda (Lara Flynn Boyle), who appeared not nearly as concerned as he was. As time passed with David’s mother continuing to refuse to get up from the couch, his mounting anxiety caused him to further spiral while it became clear that there was something going on with her. As he took a step back, the story wasn’t so much about a grandmother refusing to get up from a couch but rather the relationship between her and her children. Hinting at themes about the power of family and rediscovering one’s self and true purpose, the film takes an existential turn that is so far out of left field that it fails to stick the landing, not that it was exactly making use of its time before that.

The best part of Mother Couch and what keeps it somewhat watchable is its performances. While not necessarily good or bad, the cast simply flailed around on screen for the most part. The material and direction did not do them any favors but they were fine in spite of that. Though they did have some chemistry, primarily McGregor and Burstyn, the film did next to nothing with it or them for that matter.

At the end of the day, Mother Couch is definitely what most think it is, for better or worse, a baffling ensemble drama that wastes all those involved.

*still courtesy of TIFF*

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.