Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay give astonishing performances in “Room”.
As Ma, Larson is a prisoner in a shed. Her five-year-old son – Jack (Tremblay) – is with her. The viewer learns Ma has been held here for seven years and Jack is the son of captor “Old Nick”.
All this should be deeply creepy and it is. But the bond between mother and son and the delicacy of Emma Donoghue’s words are made very moving and uplifting by the deft direction of Lenny Abrahamson.
Donoghue wrote the book this is based on and I haven’t read it. But her warmth and skill make you like the characters and believe their situation.
The film sags a little when the second half gets going. Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Cas Anvar and Wendy Crewson are all very fine, yet the film loses some focus by moving away from the central mother and child plot.
There is lots of food for thought in the various musings on family, imprisonment, freedom and possibility. “Room” is always interesting to watch, but never quite lives up to the profoundly private world created in the early scenes.
“Room” was shown as a free preview screening for members of Stratford East Picturehouse. It’s on general release now. Everyone I saw it with was profoundly affected and it’s a great story with the feel of an independent film.
It’s already won some awards and it will win more.
Greercn's Blog 
It’s a great film, but I hear the book is even better. It would be good to hear Ma’s story and to get a picture of who this monster Nick is?
By: sinnerz13 on February 1, 2016
at 2:08 pm
Thanks for the comment. I quite like the fact that you’re not given too much background information about any of the characters. I feel that allows us to just take them as they are. For me, the film is weaker when it strays into psychological and psychiatric territory. But a few friends feel the same way you do.
By: greercn on February 1, 2016
at 2:26 pm
Good review Greer. Heartfelt, but incredibly emotional. A very rare movie that left me in tears.
By: Dan O. on February 2, 2016
at 6:34 pm
Thank you for the comment, Dan. It certainly is a very emotional movie.
By: greercn on February 3, 2016
at 1:46 pm