Kidnapped and imprisoned in a high-security adapted garden shed for seven years, we meet Ma (Brie Larson) and her five year old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) in 'Room'. The world of Jack is a small one, where the confines are four walls with a skylight and TV is magic. He has named all the objects in the room and talks fondly of the toilet and wardrobe, anything outside of 'Room' is space. But Ma (we later learn her name is Joy) wants a way out and devises an escape plan to get them away from the monster that is regularly raping her and punishing them by cutting off the electricity.
The less said about the plot for this film, the better, but rest assured it is gripping at its very best, as we watch the two trying to escape. What then follows is a fascinating character study, mainly on Jack, of the psychological repercussions of only knowing 'Room' from birth. We remain with the two characters throughout the film, with other characters loitering on the periphery.
Room is a film driven by the acting, which is absolutely astounding. Brie Larson is incredible as the mother who wants the best for her son born out of the situation, but it is Jacob Tremblay who steals the film, and our hearts, as Jack. Deeply attached to his mother and only knowing life in 'Room', Jack's resilience is tested to the limit at an extremely young age.
With more and more stories like this one being revealed by the media in recent years, the film raises a lot of interesting issues without trying to shock its audiences with gratuitous scenes. Room feels real and believable and has many moments of tenderness and poignancy. I wish the actors and the filmmakers all the luck for the upcoming awards season; this is a film that deserves to win.
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