Room
ROOM (15)
D: Lenny Abrahamson
A24/Telefilm Canada/Filmnation (Ed Guiney)
Canada/UK/Ireland 2015
118 mins
Drama
W: Emma Donoghue [based on her
novel]
DP: Danny Cohen
Ed: Nathan Nugent
Mus: Stephen Rennicks
Brie Larson (Joy Newsome), Jacob
Tremblay (Jack Newsome), Sean Bridgers (Old Nick) Joan Allen (Nancy Newsome), William H. Macy (Robert Newsome)
On the face of it, Room is a kidnapping drama, but beneath
the surface, the story tells of the powerful bond between a mother and her child.
A victim of an abduction, Joy has spent seven years of her
life trapped in a claustrophobic room with only a small skylight as her only window to the outside world. Her five-year-old son, Jack, has spent his whole life there, both held by a kidnapper
who is referred to as "Old Nick".
For Jack, everything inside the room is normality to him,
with no knowledge of the world beyond the walls, and when the mother and son finally do escape, they both have difficulties in coping with life, both for different reasons.
Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, the story draws
parallels with similar real-life crimes such as Josef Fritzl, though this is a completely original piece of writing.
Brie Larson's performance is nothing short of brilliant,
resulting in an Oscar win for Best Actress. Jacob Tremblay is also excellent as her son, delivering one of the most memorable juvenile performances since Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth
Sense.
It's not pleasant viewing, but it is powerful, and a very
deserving nominee for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Do not confuse with 2003's The Room (qv)... the quality of
that film leaves a lot to be desired.
8/10
