Review: ‘Room’ begins where most stories about captivity end (Includes first-hand account)

A large proportion of Lifetime TV movies focus on the survivors of horrific crimes, creating melodramatic depictions of the offense and its consequences. As terrible as these incidents are, the formula used to portray their stories is predictable and calculating to affect viewers’ emotions in certain ways at specific parts of the narrative. But that doesn’t mean these tales are immune to ingenuity; it just hasn’t been applied as often. Room approaches a story that has become far too common in the news from a fresh perspective that truly captures the intense effects of being held against one’s will.

Joy’s (Brie Larson) five-year-old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) has never left the confines of the self-contained room in which they’re kept captive by a nameless man they call Old Nick (Sean Bridgers). He provides them with minimal provisions such as food and power, while clothes and other items are considered gifts in exchange for her obedience. Joy tries to raise Jack the best she can under the circumstances, but the nightly visits and compact living quarters are growing insufferable… as is Jack’s curiosity and his ability to hide in the wardrobe when Old Nick invades their space. However life outside of the room may prove even more difficult as time didn’t stop in Joy’s absence and nothing is as she remembers it.

Living inside the room is a constant rollercoaster of emotions. Both Joy and Jack are ticking time bombs ready to go off at the slightest infraction. On the other hand, they are all the other has and they cling to each other with desperation and affection. In spite of Jack’s origin, Joy protects him from Old Nick and the reality of their imprisonment by striving to create a happy home for him in which he plays, learns and has no perception of a world beyond their four walls. But necessity forces her to break the illusion and compel Jack to understand the only home he’s ever known is a bad place. All of their interactions are both heartwarming and heartbreaking in the context of their confinement. Director Lenny Abrahamson seems to enjoy self-imposed restrictions on his films and actors, causing everyone to thrive within the prescribed limits.

The second half of the film portrays their experiences outside of the room, which is very different for each of them. Joy is excited to return to the life from which she was so abruptly taken; reunited with her parents (Joan Allen and William H. Macy), speaking to more than just two people and able to breathe fresh air. Jack, on the other hand, is overwhelmed by all these fresh encounters; he yearns for the familiarity of his former prison and cleaves even more tightly to his mother amongst the overpowering strangeness. However as Jack adapts, Joy is slowly crushed by the countless changes that occurred in her absence. This extended depiction of their post-incarceration is fascinating and a portrayal rarely included in other similar narratives.

The bond depicted by Larson and Tremblay is extraordinarily genuine. Joy and Jack’s love for each other is seemingly infinite, the depth of which also enhances their other emotions. Since his life is mostly shielded from the worst aspects of his reality, Tremblay is only required to be a child that feels intensely. His character faces extreme happiness, fear and anger at various points in the script, and Tremblay represents every moment flawlessly. Joy’s emotions are much more complex and equally powerful as she also experiences paralyzing lows. Larson is tasked with the demanding role of constantly displaying dual emotions since regardless of her outward mood, she is always distressed by their captivity. Bridgers is once again an abusive patriarch in a film and he makes an impression even though he’s rarely on screen.

The film was the winner of the 2015 Grolsch People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Director: Lenny Abrahamson
Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay and Sean Bridgers

Similar Posts

  • Review: ‘Batman v Superman’ is flawed in the most predictable ways (Includes first-hand account)

    Over the years there have been endless matches hypothesized between comic book characters, many of which have been played out in the panels. Where would the fight take place? What advantages would they have? And finally, who would win? Although Batman and Superman are on the same side of the fight against evil, they are fundamentally different types of heroes and have had many disagreements over the years. These conflicts have been worked out between the pages, but they’ve never been portrayed on the big screen — until now. With the proliferation of CGI effects and the popularity of superhero films, perhaps it’s the right time for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

  • Review: ’45 Years’ is a slow burn that leaves an indelible mark (Includes first-hand account)

    People always marvel at couples whose relationships have lasted several decades, let alone a half-century or more. The subjects of their admiration often admit it hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been good enough that they still want to be together. The less inspirational response asks, “Who wants to start again after x number of years?” After so long, it’s easy to assume you know everything there is to know about your partner and there couldn’t possibly be any surprises left… at least certainly not anything earth-shattering. Unfortunately that theory is proven false in 45 Years.

  • Review: ‘Welcome to Marwen’ makes it easy to get lost in the fantasy (Includes first-hand account)

    Traumatic experiences can leave mental and physical scars that may never be healed. As a result, people find coping mechanisms to help them get through day-to-day living and deal with more significant spells of feeling overwhelmed. These devices are not always tangible to others, but the only thing that matters is that it helps the survivor get through whatever difficulty they’re feeling. In Welcome to Marwen, a man’s strategy for dealing with the world after a brutal attack is to build his own mini world, which in turn produces a safe environment for him and art to be enjoyed by everyone else.

  • Review: ‘Rampage’ delivers on its promise — no more or less (Includes first-hand account)

    There is something very entertaining about watching giant monsters tear apart famous cities. Whether stop-motion creatures or CGI beasts, it’s often difficult — or even unintuitive — to root for the armed forces attempting to bring them down; this is particularly true when the creature has the potential to be cured/rehabilitated/relocated… alive. Often agitated at no fault of their own, the misunderstood beast acts out destructively. On the other hand, choosing sides in a winner takes all battle between two or more monsters is far easier. Such are the dilemmas faced when watching Rampage.