Early in Room, Brie Larson’s character, Ma reads to her son Jack, played by
Jacob Tremblay a segment from The Count of Monte Cristo. Like I mentioned in my
review of “You Were Never Really Here”, every piece of art used in a
(good) film, be it music, film or books are always there for a reason. The
Count of Monte Cristo deals with a character who, much like our protagonists,
is imprisoned for a very long time. This, along with several other instances,
are certain to convince that Room is a very metaphorical film.

In Room, Ma and her son Jack are held captive in a room for almost 7 years.
It is revealed that Ma was kidnapped when she was 17 and Jack is the product of
her “relationship” with her captor – Old Nick. While the audience is
immediately thrown into the horrifying conditions of Ma’s life, she tries
everything she can to make Jack sheltered from the horror of their life,
transforming “Room” into a paradise for Jack. While it’s easy to
expect that Jack and Ma escape very soon, it is impossible to foresee the
direction the film chooses to take. While the premise seems like something that
Netflix would pounce on to make yet another True-Crime documentary, director
Lenny Abrahamson is not concerned with that at all.

With the help of a screenplay from Emma Donoghue, who also wrote the book
that the film is based on, Abrahamson is able to create a truly thoughtful
piece. A piece of art meditating on what it means to be a parent and the lost
the virtues of optimism and innocence. As Jack escapes from Room, Abrahamson
makes the brilliant choice of making the outside feel extremely claustrophobic,
keeping the irony of that intact as well. The constantly moving, out of focus
camera with some very quick cuts makes the audience feel very uncomfortable conveying the feeling that something’s just not right. From here he puts Ma and Jack on a quiet journey adjusting to the outside world. Abrahamson’s genius really shows
in his ability to distil very raw emotions through conversations and silence. Abrahamson understands that Room is a pensive journey for its characters and
lets quiet moments play out for its two stellar stars in each of their
affecting performances.

Brie Larson gives a career best heart wrenching performance showcasing a cornucopia of emotions through the film and never losing sight of the layers of her character. Thrust out of hell hole into a world she doesn’t recognise, Larson nails an almost dead eyed expression, an expression we expect to find on someone who is mourning a loved one. It is evident that a part of Ma is now lost and it becomes very clear that this part is in fact her child like innocence. Larson perfectly captures the maternal nature of a character, but occasionally manages to remind us quite subtly that this is a character thrust into motherhood and tragically robbed of her childhood and innocence, a recurring motif throughout the narrative. Jacob Tremblay’s character seems to exist to embody this void in Ma. Through Jack, the outside world is so vividly captured through his own curiosity and innocence and just like Ma, frequently leaves you smiling from ear to ear. Jack also challenges Ma occasionally to her breaking point and words cannot express my admiration for the depth that a 7-year-old manages to bring to such a complex character. With Abrahamson’s pitch perfect direction, every single line, every action and every tick that may at first seem unusual quickly become understandably attributable to a child who clearly does not know anything outside of his life in his room.

While the film is sad in several instances, you ae likely to find yourself crying in its happier moments. While a lot of this attributable to the towering, affective performance from its leads, the star of the show is director Lenny Abrahamson. Abrahamson’s strong grasp of the narrative quickly invests the audience in the leads and their journey of regaining what is lost and coming to terms with the nature of their relationship. He further manages the impossible task of making a Room and the real world around feel somewhat fantastical, which was my favourite aspect of the film. Ironically, while it is evident that Abrahamson likes to take his time with his characters, the narrative does him a disservice at the end. The screenplay appears to stumble and rush into the final third act and while the second and third act are near flawless the transition is key. The characters’ transformation into the third act feels rushed and consequently, a little unconvincing.

Room was a magical tale and I really found myself surprised at how good it was. I didn’t expect this from a director I hadn’t heard of, from a 7 year of child actor and certainly not from Brie Larson. I recommend you watch Room without reading or watching any promo material including trailers. I was recommended Room by a friend who suggested it as a movie that was sure to take my mind off of anything else that was bothering else. While a horrifying start to the film made me sceptical, Abrahamson’s masterful work immediately drew me in to his very raw fantasy. The film at the end genuinely left me with a lot to take home, and if the film does nothing else it is sure to convince you to look for the Happiness in Sad memories – even in sadness, there is happiness to be found, and the journey to find it is so worth it.

Room is currently available on Amazon Prime Video.

Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★

You’ll like it if:

• You’ve had a day that you absolutely want to just wash off with a deeply dramatic cathartic experience.
• You’re looking for a poetic piece reminding of lost innocence and optimism.
• You saw Captain Marvel and loved it and are now officially a fan and you want to check out her best work. (Not Scott Pilgrim, No)
• You saw Captain Marvel and you thought Brie Larson one- note performance was more annoying than a crying baby with diarrhea on a long Air India flight, and you’re looking for something to drastically change your opinion.
• You have a bunch of friends over and you want to watch Tommy Wiseau’s classic ” The Room”.However, plot twist, you’re secretly a little bit of an idiot and you accidentaly put on this (good) film.