Room is a difficult movie to explain without spoiling, but here it goes:
The movie is based on the 2010 book, of the same name, by Emma Donoghue. Ma (Brie Larson) lives in a room with her son Jack (Jacob Tremblay). They do everything in “room”. They eat, workout, sleep, and watch TV. Every Sunday they get a visit from a man known as Old Nick (Sean Bridgers) who leaves food and “Sunday treat” for them.
On Jack’s 5th birthday, Ma explains why they’re in room and devises a plan to get him out.
As boring as the premise may sound, Room is a gripping, emotional roller-coaster for two hours. It’s easily one of the best movies of 2015. Director Lenny Abrahamson shoots his scenes with an intimacy that makes Room feel like a stage play. You’re watching Ma and Jack’s performances and everything else is there to enhance their story.
Brie Larson anchors the film with a phenomenal performance that will go down as one of the year’s best. Much like the film, Larson’s performance is split into two segments, inside room and outside room. Larson’s character Ma is different in both segments, but both are fantastic. It’s a reminder of how under appreciated her performance in Short Term 12 was. Brie Larson has all the makings to be a star and this performance is her first step.
The breakout star is Jacob Tremblay who gives a performance someone his age shouldn’t be capable of. One of the many stand out scenes with Tremblay is when Ma is trying to prepare Jack to leave room. The whole sequence is heartbreaking and tense. So many emotions play out during that sequence and Larson and Tremblay never miss a beat.
Calling Room intense would be an understatement. It’s a film that will immerse you in the emotions of its story and will periodically let you up for air before it brings you back down. This pattern repeats itself for the entire movie. You’ll either be on the edge of your seat, covered in a puddle of tears, or both.
Room is the latest film distributed by A24 Films, a studio that’s not afraid of films with darker themes. It’s what makes A24 Films special and the perfect home for a film like Room.
If you’re not familiar with Room’s, stay away from trailers and plot summaries. It’s a movie that’s best seen cold, and one you won’t forget.
Grade: A+
the people's critic 