Room (2015) DIFF Review!!

Synopsis – After five-year-old Jack and his mother escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world.

My Take – Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, this film is a small story driven independent harrowing dramatic thriller. And like many of its kind, the film has to rely on a great screenplay, solid acting, and moving character development for it to get wide recognition. The film delivers on all of these aspects. Director Lenny Abrahamson (Frank) has adapted the best-selling novel with grace and grandeur. Here is a film so artistically unique and deviant, chock full of genuine emotion thanks to two outstanding performances, that isn’t afraid to take risks and surprise at every turn. The entire idea of ‘room,’ the abstract concept of space, is ever-present in the production. In their bubble of room, Ma and Jack are restricted, as evident by Abrahamson‘s close angles and tight shots. The small space allows for high concept filmmaking, and when they get out of room, it only gets better, with a new color palette and experimental camera angles through Jack’s eyes. The entire film is seen through the eyes of this child, and it’s genius. The title of the film makes the film about the space in our lives and in our selves and our need to escape whatever walls or restrictions that others — or we ourselves — have imposed on us. So our experience really is reflected in this freakish story. The film is about the vast room we have at our disposal not the small room to which we might accept restriction. This couldn’t be further from Lenny Abrahamson‘s last film Frank, a bizarre music-orientated comedy. Gone are the idiosyncrasies that made Frank wild and, for many including myself, compelling, instead we have a moving drama that earns its sentiment. The concept of a mother having raised her son in confinement then finally breaking free has many avenues to explore. Having not read Emma Donoghue‘s book, of whom also wrote the screenplay, I mostly expected a small scale -getting out of the eponymous room then reuniting and resolving itself there. Instead, the film goes further than I expected, getting Ma – also known as Joy, which is becoming a familiar character’s name this year – and Jack back to her teenage home with her own mother. The story follows twenty-something Joy aka Ma (Brie Larson) and five year-old Jack (Jacob Tremblay), inside a garden shed. We are, of course, unaware that this is a garden shed, but the size is what’s immediately noticeable. Small, dark, and dank, with a single skylight. Jack, the product of Ma’s kidnapping despite her insistence of his immaculate conception, is oblivious to the space of the room, or lack thereof, and equally of the world outside it. Most nights, a man called “Old Nick” (Sean Bridgers) visits the room to have sex with Ma.

But Jack doesn’t understand this custom, instead letting his imagination dream up a world of wonderment, all existing neatly in the boundaries of the room – where a mouse joyfully nibbles on some scraps and where his imaginary dog Lucky can frolic. In Jack’s mind, the only reality is inside the room, and everything on the other side of the wall is most certainly outer space. After one particularly traumatizing night, when Jack wanders out of his hiding spot to observe the sleeping adults and is frightened by both Nick and an instance of physical violence against Ma, the fatigued woman realizes that she must coach the young boy into aiding with an escape plan to finally rid them of the restrictive imprisonment of the room. Providing any more details would soften the impact of the film, and this is one that is meant to be felt – even if it’s a true kick in the gut. For the first half of the film, we as viewers are held prisoners right along with Ma and Jack. We see what a patient and wonderful mother she is as she strives to provide some semblance of hope for her son, though in a nearly hopeless situation. When Jack turns 5, Ma begins to explain the outside world to him, as she knows they must try to escape in order for her son to have any semblance of a normal life. During this time, we are in awe of this 10 x 10 environment and how it is every bit the nightmare we have imagined while reading the articles and seeing the reports on real life ordeals. The second half of the film is equally fascinating, as we watch young Jack and his sense of wonder and caution at discovering the real world. We also see the psychological trauma that Ma experiences after staying strong for so long. Assimilating into society brings different challenges for both Ma and Jack, plus those of her mother (Joan Allen), her father (William H Macy) and her mom’s new beau (Tom McCamus). The film doesn’t shy away from their reactions, though some are easier to stomach than others. The different approach is felt immediately as Abrahamson traps us with his two principle characters, Ma and Jack, in tight and sometimes oddly framed closeups. It’s a somewhat clumsy execution to show the claustrophobia and intimacy Abrahamson wants to achieve as he uses Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay‘s faces as blank canvases, but the effect is thoroughly felt, and the film’s following 30 minutes remain its best. The photography decides to take a step back, but it continues to catch that raw emotion. Then, in a way, it doesn’t go far enough. But it’s interesting to watch it play in its happy medium. It does rely on some key contrivances to get there, such as the kidnapper’s wonky perception and ultimately not fighting hard enough when he could have, but that doesn’t take away from the gripping escape sequence as the orchestra swells and squeezes tears from you whether you like it or not. The only criticism of the directorial style was the lapse in direction that the story was supposed to take towards the end of the film. The entire time the story was told through the eyes of Jack. However, towards the last part of the movie, there was a shift that included some of Ma’s point of view. This slightly took away from the ways a five year old would try to explain certain behaviors or actions of adults.

Also, for those who have read the book, don’t expect the movie to include every aspect of it. Just like every other film based on books, graphic novels, comics, or even true events, only certain aspects can be adapted and some must be altered in order to try and make the best move possible. The performances are superb and so consistent with the storyline, there isn’t any pretense that any of this was stage or acted. The relationships are well developed within the timeframe of the movie and are delightfully varied to reveal the breadth of human responses to such a tragedy. Brie Larson had not only shown potential but delivered the goods with 2013’s Short Term 12. It’s a similar environment here with devoted maternal instincts but this time it’s pushed to the brink of her skills as an actress. She’s drenched in this exasperation that speaks to years of exhaustion. In the tone of her primal performance, she paints a full rich portrait of Joy’s whole life from her carefree teen years to her brutal capture by Old Nick when she was 17, to every little story and lesson she’s told Jack. Joy’s constantly revising the way she raises Jack and while there’s bumps in the road, it’s a complete picture of motherhood. She balances resilience and vulnerability, hope and dejection with a fine tooth comb. Most times she commands the screen and offers one of the year’s best performances. It’s a film about the harsh realities of growing up, operating for both of the main characters, and it’s a very sensitive and emotionally potent portrayal. Speaking of which, Jacob Tremblay may be the frontrunner for most supporting actor awards as his performance is better then a lot of child actors. How they got a kid this young to pull off the necessary emotions that few adult can properly show off? I don’t know, but this is defiantly his movie. Is perception on the world and the adults around him remind us why we were frightened by the rest of the world as children. When our parents aren’t around, we might as well be on an alien planet, stepping around strange sounds and sights. This child made me realize how one can see the world differently at a different age. Joan Allen, as Joy’s mother, is heartfelt and shows unconditional love in a wonderfully nuanced way, whereas William H. Macy, Joy’s father, is regretfully underused but doing the ‘in over his head’ thing Macy does best. On the whole, ‘Room‘ is an emotional journey through trauma and discovery with the help of a very strong storytelling and acting. Room fell short in some aspects, though they did not sufficiently diminish the overall experience of the film. It brings different concepts for those to learn from, such as the importance of family, experience, and empathy towards others. If you want to escape the confinements of recent big budget films, or want to experience something moving that you will not forget, go see Room. The film deserves a watch!