By Petr Navovy | Film | June 21, 2024 |
By Petr Navovy | Film | June 21, 2024 | Rectangle Table
The Coffee Table (La mesita del comedor in its original Spanish) opens with what might be many people’s idea of a real-life horror scenario: a couple arguing over furniture. María (Estefanía de los Santos) and Jesús (David Pareja) are at a furniture shop with their newborn son, intent on buying a coffee table. The only problem? Jesús has his eyes on a table that María considers monstrously ugly and tacky. The fact that the sleazy salesman is trying so hard to convince them to buy it only repulses her more. The couple bicker in front of the salesman, and two key bits of information are given particular focus. Firstly, Jesús seems to be so keen on the table almost out of spite, insisting that since María has not let him choose any of the other furniture in their apartment he should be at least able to have some say in this; and secondly, the salesman insists that the glass that the majority of the table is made out of is practically unbreakable.
The Coffee Table played originally at the 2022 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival before bouncing around a few more festivals and limited theatrical runs, with writer-director Caye Casas having to finance parts of those runs in Spain in what was up until then a release of minimal profile. That was before a glowing social media review from none other than Stephen King, who wrote on Twitter in May 2024:
King’s word has formidable power, of course, and so now a lot of people—myself included—have been catching on to the small Spanish picture that wants to unsettle and shock us. It would be a disservice to The Coffee Table to go into much more detail about its plot than I already have. Suffice to say that Jesús’ decision to bring the ugly bit of furniture into their home is one that alters the course of the couple’s lives forever. The film has been billed as both a horror and a black comedy, and it definitely draws heavily from both wells, as moments that make the viewer guffaw coexist alongside those that suck all the air out of one’s lungs and force jaws to drop. It’s an impressive tonal balancing act.
Despite the commendable skill demonstrated by all those involved in crafting such a cocktail, the movie overall doesn’t work nearly as well as it could have. Its opening scene is by far its strongest. Those few painful yet frequently hilarious minutes that María and Jesús spend arguing in front of the walking avatar of a sweaty comb-over that is the furniture salesman are instantly compelling in their depiction of what is undoubtedly a complex, believable relationship. There is clearly a lot of love here, and we can see why this couple would be together. The devotion and warmth is plain to see. The irritation, anger, and resentment, however, cannot be denied either. It’s a dynamite scene, with the actors doing great work. A healthy chunk of what follows keeps this level of quality up, manufacturing a heady atmosphere of dread and bleak comedy.
It’s unfortunate, then, that following a pivotal moment, the film takes a turn and introduces a particular sort of narrative dynamic that is not only very predictable but also works against the atmosphere generated by the preceding parts of the movie. It’s not enough to ruin everything, but it does mean that the finished product doesn’t live up to the promise it generates for itself initially. Still, if you have a strong stomach and have had your curiosity piqued, The Coffee Table is worth your time.
Triangle Coffee Table The Coffee Table is streaming now on Prime Video and Apple TV Plus.