Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
Written by: Emma Donoghue
Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers
While a tragic story, Room was also hopeful. You know going in that Ma and Jack will escape, but it’s how and when, and then their acclimation into world after, that keeps you watching.
Jack (Tremblay) is five years old. He and Ma (Larson) have been living in “Room” all his life. We learn that “Room” is actually a garden shed where Ma has been held prisoner for the past seven years. Her captor, whom Jack and Ma refer to as Old Nick (Bridgers) raped Ma and she gave birth to Jack while imprisoned. Old Nick still continues to “visit” Ma every week. Ma and Jack don’t have much, but they have each other. To protect Jack, Ma doesn’t talk much about what’s outside “Room.”
Eventually, after one too many assaults by Old Nick, Ma decides they need to get out. She devises a daring escape and it’s a real nail-biter. Once they are free, Jack is jolted into “World” and everything it entails – cars, buildings, telephones, showers, and more. While Jack is adjusting to “World,” Ma has to re-adapt. She’s missed seven years of her life, her late teens and early adulthood. It’s not clear on the time period of Room but Ma’s childhood bedroom is decorated much like mine was in the late 90s, with posters of Leonardo DiCaprio and Garbage on the walls, so I’m guessing she was abducted sometime in the late 90s.
I found it interesting that when she returned home, she made no changes to the room and constantly pored over her high school yearbooks. I felt so bad for Ma. I kept thinking, how would I feel if I was in her place? Everyone probably thought she was dead for seven years, and then she reappears and now has to readjust to life with her family, and they with her. Her friends have all moved on, she has no one really except her son and her parents. That made me sad.
Room reminded me of the recent Cleveland abduction case, as well as a few elements of Flowers in the Attic. Supposedly the book this movie is based on is inspired by a true story that occurred in Austria, but I haven’t read the book so I can’t confirm. I enjoy Lifetime movies, and I thought this was much better than any Lifetime movie I’ve seen. The acting was fantastic, even by the young actor Jacob Tremblay. While the subject matter of this film was depressing, it was still an excellent movie.
