The Sofa

Munson (Dog Symphony) unspools a haunting if uneven work of psychological horror. Its everyman protagonist is known only by his surname, Montessori, which Munson archly notes is not to be confused with the “inventor of kindergarten.” The morning after a day spent with his wife and two boys at the beach, Montessori is surprised when his younger son points out that their comfortable modern sofa has been mysteriously replaced with a musty and worn antique. Montessori reports the incident to the police, who do little to help. When he tries to buy a replacement, he learns the model matching the stolen couch is on back order. He then begins to hear strange noises in the house and spots the reflection of a ghostly, mustached man who appears to be standing behind him. The premise is arresting, but the plot loses steam as it hits the expected genre beats, with creepy children, dead pets, and other gothic tropes showing up. Still, Munson sticks the landing with a creepy finale that mixes macabre humor and an unsettling reckoning with mortality. There’s plenty to admire in this offbeat ghost story. Agent: Jacqueline Ko, Wylie Agency. (Nov.)