PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Can a coffee table truly change the trajectory of one family’s life? This question is pondered with a truly upsetting answer in The Coffee Table (aka La Mesita Del Comedor). Proudly touting the phrase “A Cruel Caye Casas Film”, The Coffee Table shatters expectations on what is needed to make a film as upsetting as it is engrossing.
Co-written by Caye Casas and Cristina Borobi and directed by Casas, the film takes place as Jesús (David Pareja: Veneno 2020) & María (Estefanía de los Santos: Jaulas 2018) shop for a new coffee table. After experiencing some hardships due to their newly changed lives with the birth of their child, this table looks to bring some sense of normalcy to their lives.
Due to the events of the film leading into the grim plot, it is best to go into the film with no knowledge as to what the next hour-and-a-half will be. At its most basic explanation, The Coffee Table plot can be seen as a macabre take on a traditional family sitcom. This works in the film’s favor as this “silliness” contrasts the actual going ons and situation at hand. The normalcy and simplicity of everything is a very shocking clash with the horrors and nature of the film. Despite all the downs, there are moments of light comedy sprinkled throughout the film. Nothing inherently slapstick or out of place, but enough to remind the viewer that there is more to the human emotional response than just anger and upset.
“We wanted to make one of the cruelest films ever made, one that people cannot forget”, said Casas. “It will make them feel very strong emotions, real terror without monsters, zombies, ghosts or murderers, only with a dining room table and the cruelest fate that you can imagine.” Once the turning point of the film starts, it’s easy to see how Casas designed The Coffee Table to cause a visceral reaction from the audience. As the film ramps up, the viewer is left with an ever growing sense of anxiety as they await for everything to come to head. Unfortunately for them (the cast or the audience?), Casas knows how to leave them on the edge of their seat for most of the runtime.
The casting is another highlight of the film as the actors behave exactly as they should in their precarious situation. For better or worse, the chemistry between Jesús & María is believable and relatable as it paints a couple once madly in love, struggling to handle the most mundane of tasks. Even something as simple as furniture shopping shows the tension and annoyance that has formed in their lives during recent times.
A true positive that shines in the film is the simple fact that Casas is able to show restraint with the visuals on screen due to the strong subject matter. Casas smartly chose the route of interpretation as it helps the film avoid being a cheap vessel for shock value and a “trying too hard to offend” atmosphere. This has a hand in allowing the viewer to experience the happenings only as terribly as their imagination will allow.
Despite the heavy subject matter, The Coffee Table succeeds at using a plot with inherently deep meanings that can connect to the audience in various aspects. At its core, the loss of innocence can be seen as the main underlying theme throughout the film. It helps that this phrase can be seen as generally vague because it applies to the characters through wildly different interpretations. However the meaning, each character is grounded to the film’s world by this idea. This sense of thematic maturity lingers with the viewer and forces them to imagine themselves in the place of María or Jesús.
If you are comfortable with the idea of going into a self-touting cruel film with no context or background, do yourself a favor and check out The Coffee Table.
The Coffee Table is now available on DVD and VOD.
