The connection between mother and child is put to the test in Lenny Abrahamson's devastating and moving drama, Room, an adaptation of Emma Donoghue's acclaimed novel. Penned by the author herself, the film has stirred a palpable buzz since debuting at Telluride, with many seeing Oscar gold in its future and that of its stars, Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. Part captivity thriller and part gut-wrenching familial drama, Room strikes a number of emotional chords that will make it tough to ignore this awards season.
Picking up a bit later than Donoghue's book, the film begins after 20-something Ma (Larson) has been trapped in a 10-by-10 foot shed for seven years. Kidnapped and held captive by someone she's come to call Old Nick, Ma exists to take care of her 5-year-old son, Jack (Tremblay), whose world has only consisted of that tiny room. Donoghue take a cue from her book and frequently keeps the perspective from Jack's innocent point of view. He greets the common household objects like close-knit family members: the refrigerator, the lamp, the rug. Everything they have, which doesn't include a pair of scissors to cut Jack's overlong hair (I actually thought he was a girl for a while), has to be requested and brought to them by Old Nick. Unfortunately, it comes with a price, and Jack has to hide in the closet while Old Nick has his way with Ma in the bed they sleep in.
It's an undeniably grim existence they share, but Ma makes the best of it for Jack's sake. She finds ways to get him what he wants, like a long asked-for birthday cake. She finds brief moments of light in her playful exchanges with Jack, who seems more than happy to live in room forever. Abrahamson and DP Danny Cohen shoot the claustrophobic space to appear bigger than it actually is, in the way a child would view it. Underneath her practiced smile we can see Ma's mental state starting to come undone, but she always manages to put maternal instinct ahead of her own needs. Eventually it can't be endured any longer and a daring escape plan is hatched. It's a thrilling, terrifying sequence that will leave you gasping for air and holding back tears.
Jack's first look at the wide open world is overwhelming. His first encounter with people he doesn't know is hurried and frantic. His life has just expanded in a way he never could have imagined, and the second half of the film is how he adjusts to a new reality, while Ma, who l must become reacquainted with a life she no longer recognizes. As Jack's world grows so does the film which becomes infinitely more engaging once they escape. Keeping the focus on Jack, we see him slowly begin to bond with others, such as his grandma (Joan Allen) and her new boyfriend, while learning about different foods, dogs, and everything else under the sun. But it isn't easy, and as Jack becomes more comfortable with others there is a separation from Ma that must occur. He must learn to trust in other people, in the same way Ma must learn to trust herself to be a regular person again. There are just as many moments on the outside that are painful to watch, but for every one there's another that will make you smile. To Donoghue's credit she doesn't overplay any of the most dramatic interactions, allowing her talented cast to play them out naturally.
While Jacob's journey of discovery will melt even the coldest heart, the film leaves a lot left unfinished. Most of it has to do with Ma and the anger she feels towards her parents, who she blames, perhaps unfairly, for not preparing her for a dangerous stranger like Old Nick. There's also a plainly forgotten plotline involving her father (William H. Macy), who shows up briefly but is disgusted at the sight of Jack since he was borne out of rape. All of the actors are tremendous, however, and Tremblay will go down as giving one of the finest child performances ever. Rarely has a kid been asked to carry so much dramatic weight and even rarer is one capable of pulling it off. Larson was stiffed a couple of years ago when she should have been nominated for Short Term 12, but that shouldn't happen this time. She deserves all of the accolades that will surely be heaped upon her. Abrahamson, who last directed the offbeat rock comedy Frank, switches gears and reminds us he's just as skilled with stories of serious emotional heft. Room will break your heart and lift your spirits. It's as good a film about a mother's love for her child that you're going to find.
Rating: 4 out of 5
