Film Review – Mother, Couch

Family frustrations and parental disappointment fuel the antagonisms of “Mother, Couch.” It’s an adaptation of a Jerker Virdborg novel, with writer/director Niclas Larsson tasked with creating a pressure cooker experience for the picture, which explores tensions among family members as a crisis breaks out at a furniture store. The material deals with dysfunction and estrangement, often in a bizarre manner, but there are certain truths about sibling relationships that help to ground the movie in some form of authenticity. The story ultimately walks away from reality, but when Larsson focuses on a buzzing negative energy, “Mother, Couch” holds attention, generating a level of nervousness that’s supported by strong editing and performances. There’s plenty of itchiness to the feature, but for those willing to stick with the oddity and intensity of the journey, moments of clarity manage to emerge. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com