The delay starts in Houston, a city deeply embedded in my life’s story. As I wait, unexpectedly stranded at IAH for five hours, tension builds—a feeling of being stuck, uprooted, and unsettled. This prolonged pause somehow sets the tone for the journey ahead.
Once the plane finally takes off, I delve into ‘Mother, Couch,’ a surreal family drama set in a strange, enclosed world of a furniture store. The story revolves around a mother who remains glued to a couch, essentially (s)mothering her children with her stubborn presence. Her children, trapped by her emotional weight, tiptoe around her, each struggling with the burdens of expectation, unresolved issues, and dependency.
What initially feels absurd reveals an unnerving truth about family dynamics. The mother’s presence is both grounding and paralysing, creating a gravitational pull that none of the children seem capable of escaping. The film explores the tension between familial duty and the desire for independence, raising questions about how different role within a family can confine or define us. Are we, too, stuck on our own couches, unwilling or unable to break free from familial expectations?
Following this, I watched ‘Lost Lake Confessions,’ a narrative about four friends who reunite on a camping trip, navigating the heavy themes of mortality, trauma, and friendship. Unlike the claustrophobic family dynamics of Mother, Couch, this film opens up to the vastness of nature, where friends confront life’s deepest questions under the stars, by a campfire. Mortality is not a distant concept here; it is a tangible presence, bringing urgency to their reflections on life’s fleeting nature and unresolved relationships.
The friends draw strength from Stoic philosophies—Memento Mori (remembering death) and Sympatheia (recognising interconnectedness), which help them face their pasts together. Through their vulnerability, amplified by the simplicity of nature and the effects of psychedelics, they embody Amor Fati—the acceptance of life in its entirety, both the light and dark. This shared openness becomes a path to healing, as they confront traumas and personal truths. The film’s raw portrayal of child abuse and complex sexual identities is unsettling yet handled with a delicate honesty that invites reflection.
These two films, despite their different settings and tones, share an exploration of how we confront —or avoid— the weight of family, friendship, and mortality. Mother, Couch examines the psychological grip of family, while Lost Lake Confessions finds liberation in shared vulnerability and the acceptance of life’s complexities.
After hours in the air, arriving in Dubai for a seven-hour layover feels like being suspended in a liminal space — a purgatory of sorts. Here, I begin to piece together insights from both films, recognising universal themes. Mother, Couch highlights the feeling of entrapment within family roles, while Lost Lake Confessions speaks to the freedom found in honest friendships. The two films mirror the forces in our lives that pull us back or propel us forward.
In this quiet space, these cinematic reflections echo broader truths: the way we are shaped by family, the healing power of friendship, and the constant presence of mortality. Each film becomes a reminder of life’s quirky, sometimes painful dance between connection and identity.
Back in Karachi, a few days later, I find myself at a friend’s house, savouring a homemade desi fajita dinner. The flavours — spicy, layered, grounding — mirror the layered experiences reflected in the films. Mother, Couch and Lost Lake Confessions peel back the surface to reveal the weight of family expectations and the freedom in friendships that embrace vulnerability. As I savour each bite, it becomes clear that digesting life’s complexities, much like enjoying a good meal, is not about rushing for an answer but about experiencing each layer fully.
Reflecting now, I see these films as cinematic mirrors of life’s most intricate themes — identity, mortality, family, friendship, and the absurdity of human relationships. They are not just stories; they are profound lessons in facing these realities with humour and humility. Mother, Couch lays bare the absurdity and tension within family bonds, while Lost Lake Confessions reveals the beauty of confronting life’s heaviest truths with those who understand us best.
Each film offers a lens through which we can see the richness of life, not as a series of answers, but as a journey filled with meaningful, often messy moments. They remind us that the journey is not about finding a definitive understanding but about embracing every layered, beautifully absurd moment along the way.
Asad Mian MD, PhD is an ER physician-researcher-innovator at the Aga Khan University and a freelance writer. He writes on topics ranging from healthcare and education to humor and popular culture. He authored 'An Itinerant Observer' (2014) and ‘MEDJACK: the extraordinary journey of an ordinary hack’ (2021)
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