The Coffee Table spoilers: What is the disturbing scene everyone keeps mentioning?

The Coffee Table is gaining some popularity based on one incredibly disturbing scene. The movie was released back in 2022 but is now being talked about thanks to Stephen King's rave reviews. It also has positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with a score of 83%. Be warned, this post will contain spoilers!

The Coffee Table is a Spanish black comedy directed by Caye Casas. The movie is surprising to say the least; I, had no idea what to expect going into this movie.

The story follows a couple, Jesús and María, and their baby Cayetano. The couple has a struggling marriage and believes that Cayetano could solve some of their problems despite Jesús not wanting a child. As the couple redecorates their home, they search for a new coffee table. Jesús finds a gaudy table that Maria absolutely hates. The table has two naked women covered in gold holding up the glass. Jesús eventually purchases the table, but when he tries to assemble it, he is missing a screw to keep the glass in place.

What happens to the baby?

Meanwhile, Maria is shopping for lunch with Jesús' brother. Jesús is left alone with the crying baby, and he tries to calm him down by talking to him while pacing the living room. The scene is sweet until the glass shatters and we hear Jesús whimpering, but the baby is suddenly silent. The camera pans to broken glass everywhere, and blood spatters covering the floor and walls.

Eventually, the accident is revealed. Jesús dropped drops Cayetano into the glass, severing his head clean off. It's a graphic, gruesome, and disturbing scene. You can see why people found it so shocking.

Jesús decides to clean up the scene and place Cayetano in his crib. The decision is questionable at best but he is obviously in shock. He waits for Maria to come home to cook lunch and resume the day as usual. However, he realizes that the baby's head has rolled under the chair and he doesn't have the heart to pick it up.

He doesn't tell Maria, instead carrying on with the lunch despite everyone noticing something is amiss. Everyone is talking about Cayetano and his future, which adds to the heaviness of the situation. Jesús eventually breaks down, and his brother finds out what happened and tries to help him break the news to Maria. The neighbor Ruth comes over to cause trouble but doesn't get the chance before her dog goes straight towards the couch and reveals what is hidden there. The scene after is pure chaos as everyone reacts to the horrible scene. Maria can't bear it, so she takes the head in her hands and jumps off the balcony along with Jesús.

A brief review of The Coffee Table

Here is my personal opinion of The Coffee Table. The movie's premise is surprising and unexpected compared to anything I've seen. I went into this movie completely blind, other than the fact that I was told that it's deeply disturbing.

I assumed the table would be cursed or haunted, but instead, it is just ordinary. The horrors are very real and could happen to anyone (maybe not decapitation, but still). This movie was labeled a black comedy, which I can see aspects of in the movie as everyone jokes and comments about Cayetano while he's obviously dead in the other room.

However, the comedy fell flat for me. It just felt drawn out and, at times, really repetitive. The entire movie felt drawn out as if trying desperately to reach the 90-minute mark. Many reviewers liked this aspect, so it could build tension or induce anxiety, but that's not how it felt to me.

Here's how you can watch the movie right now.