The Coffee Table (original title La mesita del comedor) is a Spanish horror film directed and co-written by Caye Casas which includes comedy so jet black that it can sometimes struggle to be seen. This vantablack comedy horror felt like a skit from surreal British sketch show Jam stretched out into a feature film. Annoyingly, the screener email requested that a very early film changing twist is not revealed within the review, so I'm going to have to do my best to dance around that particular elephant in the room.
Middle aged couple, Jesus (David Pareja) and María (Estefanía de los Santos) have recently had a baby, something which has caused them conflict in their relationship. The film begins with the couple at a furniture store looking at a hideous glass coffee table, something which Jesus is determined to buy from the sleazy salesman (Eduardo Antuña), as a response to feeling powerless in a lot of the other decisions made in his life. Once the table is delivered, Jesus discovers one of the screws is missing, so the glass top can't be attached to the base, he requests the salesman brings the missing screw around. Meanwhile, with Jesus' brother and new girlfriend coming round for dinner in the evening, María heads out to do some shopping, leaving her husband in charge of looking after the baby. It turns out buying that coffee table may well be the worst decision Jesus ever made...
The majority of the movie was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Something extremely terrible has happened, and Jesus is the only one who knows about it, and so in a farcical way does everything in his power to prevent others from finding out his secret. Even the viewer is not privy to the exact details as the biggest event in the movie takes place off camera. By the time his brother and girlfriend have arrived, as well as the nextdoor neighbours teenage daughter and her dog, the tension has ramped up to unsustainable levels. The horror comes mainly from the plight Jesus finds himself in, as the viewer it is obvious everything is going to come crashing down around all the characters, so it's an endurance race watching the horrific event play out. The subject matter is so unspeakably dark that at times you forget you are watching a comedy horror, but there are signs if you are looking out for them, such as with the baby's name (Cayetano), which everyone who hears it reacts with barely concealed dislike. There was also lighter comedy with the salesman, a fun performance from a well suited actor. The acting throughout while in Spanish, still seemed believable, Pareja in particular had a tough role to do, which he performed admirably.
The majority of The Coffee Table takes place within the confines of the small apartment the couple live in, with the pacing leading to events ramping up in a believable way. The camera work was perfect, often lingering on characters facial expressions, and the script was designed to be as obliviously cruel as possible, each line spoken innocent without context known, but pure agony knowing all the details. Jesus' torment is reflected by both visual and auditory hallucinations which really helped with bringing his inner turmoil to the forefront for the viewers.
I did not enjoy my time with The Coffee Table, but I was completely hooked watching it, a morbid curiosity meant I had to see how this would all end up. Very well shot, with great choice of actors, this supremely dark story is something that is sure to stick in the memory. The Coffee Table begins a limited theatrical run starting in Los Angeles at Laemmle Glendale on April 19th, and it will arrive on DVD and VOD on May 14th.
SCORE:
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