Room

Year: 2015
Genre: Psychological Drama
Directed: Lenny Abrahamson
Stars: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Tom McCamus
Production: A24

Imagine if your entire world was a single room. Adorning this room is a heater, a small table, a bed, a closet and a toilet sans a seat. Also in the room is a carpet, a sink, a tub and a small toaster oven. The only thing connecting you to the outside world is a skylight, an old TV and a crestfallen mother with memories of the world behind your four walls. Everything you know is in that room. How would you develop? How would you understand; and what would happen if you left your world in search of a better one?

This is the story brought to luminous life in the film Room adapted from Emma Donoghue's novel of the same name. Told largely from the perspective of five-year-old Jack (Tremblay), the young boy comes to grip with the realities of the outside world after narrowly escaping imprisonment and saving his mother (Larson) from seven years of isolation and sexual torture. Their tormentor is a man described simply as Old Nick (Bridgers) a man always sporting heavy working boots, thinly framed glasses and a look of indignation. Every night, Old Nick trundles into the keycoded room and defiles his prisoner while Jack tries to sleep in the closet. After turning five however, his mother tells him of the outside world and plans an escape.

Allegory of the Cave by Jan Saenredam

The first act concerns the realities of "room" and all it's little joys that Jack seems to savor. While always having a demeanor of consternation, his mother gives him the best version of gentleness she can afford, reading to him nightly and constructing arts and crafts out of broken egg shells. Once we leave room, the story floods the audience with a vortex of raw emotion initiated by Jack's first real look at blue sky and tree branches. We feel as Jack does; fright, confusion, elation, concern, in short a complete sense of awe.

The movie only gets more captivating as it goes on and I dare not spoil anymore sufficed to say that the acting on the part of Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay is nothing short of revelatory. Fully immersed in challenging roles, the two create a relationship so visceral and rewarding that it can bring any unsuspecting adult to tears. Every moment of joy and sadness is thoughtfully executed; which if put in lesser hands would come off as manipulative. Larson recently won a Golden Globe for her portrayal and will likely get at least an Oscar nomination come January 14. My sincere hope is that Tremblay likewise gets a nod complimenting the story arc of a mother strengthening her son and visa versa.

While not based on a true story per se, the novel Room was inspired by a true case of abuse and imprisonment dubbed the Fritzl Case. The mere fact that such things can happen in this reality stands as an impeachment of humanity and all the disgusting things we do to each other. Yet despite the tragedies that unfold before us and the toils we might have faced, this small piece of fiction makes a case for hope and perseverance in the face of hardship.

Final Grade: A