Rating: A-
Adapted from the novel written by Emma Donoghue, Room was in the running for four Oscar categories this year. Brie Larson gives an incredible performance as Joy, a young woman who is kidnapped when she is 17 years old, and taken prisoner by a disturbed predator only known to the viewers as ‘Old Nick’. The events that follow are told from the space of her inescapable prison, known as ‘room’.
Joy is the protagonist, however the story is told mostly from the point of view of Joy’s five year old son Jack. The dialogue between Joy and Jack is a delight, but it is Jack’s imagination and perspective that really captures his thoughts, feelings, at times confusion, and general outlook on life within ‘room’. The narrative follows the mundane and heart-breaking circumstance of their life trapped in room.
Joy’s desperation and deep depression is made especially tragic by contrasting it with her unconditional love for Jack. She is irreversibly damaged by the trauma of her situation, but still obsesses over providing everything for Jack, even getting unnecessarily frustrated at herself over something as simple as burning a grilled cheese sandwich. Her desperation eventually overwhelms her and she is faced with an extreme decision for the benefit of both herself and for Jack, even though it means almost imminent danger for both of them. Going any further here would obviously get further into spoiler territory.
Each shot is meticulously crafted to give the audience a very specific viewpoint from Jack, while this is sometimes interrupted for reactionary shots from other characters, it does not break the flow of perspective. I suspect that certain parts of the film, as is usually the case with adapted screenplays, perhaps did not translate as well onto the screen as they are articulated in the novel. Here, my criticism lies mostly in relation to characterisation of Joy’s family.
Despite this, Room is a unique and truly memorable film and absolutely deserves all the praise it is getting.