Room (FILM REVIEW)
Room
Film Review by
Kam Williams
What would it
be like to be 5 years-old and have lived your entire life inside a
backyard shed about 10' by 10'? And suppose you were being raised
there by a kidnap victim who'd been caged and repeatedly raped by her
psychopathic abductor since she was 17?
That is
precisely the predicament of Jack (Jacob Tremblay), the young
narrator of Room, an intriguing suspense flick adapted by Emma
Donoghue from her own best seller of the same name. Directed by
Dubliner Lenny Abrahamson (Frank), the film is a thought-provoking
affair apt to have audiences squirming uncomfortably in their seats
for the duration of the claustrophobic, endurance test.
The story
unfolds almost entirely inside their veritable prison and from the
narrow point-of-view of a naive child shielded by his well-meaning
mom (Brie Larson) from the fact that they're being held against their
will by a monster who also happens to be his father. For, it is
ostensibly her desire to give Jack as normal a childhood as possible
under the circumstances, while she waits to be rescued or for an
opportunity to make a break from their cell. That way, the boy might
not lose his mind in the dungeon and have less of an adjustment to
make if they are ever finally freed.
Make no
mistake, Room is one of those movies one must endure, rather than
expect to enjoy. In that regard, it is reminiscent of Das Boot
(1981), the World War II undersea epic which transpires almost
entirely inside the close quarters of a German U-boat. This picture
offers an even more oppressive experience in that you feel confined
to a much tinier amount of space.
What makes
Room unique, cinematically, is its ingenious juxtaposition of the
mother and son's psychological perspectives. To Ma, their ongoing
predicament is a living Hell. For instance, she cringes any time her
tormentor (Sean Bridgers) unlocks the door, since she doesn't know
what evil deed might be on his agenda. By contrast, this is the only
world Jack has ever known, and he exhibits a typical tyke's
playfulness and insatiable curiosity, behavior which his mother does
her best to accommodate, despite the limitations.
Overall, Room
is a riveting tour de force featuring a pair of powerful performances
by co-stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. The pair generate such
chemistry that you never doubt that they're a parent and child stuck
in the worst of circumstances.
A few years
back, Ms. Larson made a big splash in her breakout role
as Grace in
the critically-acclaimed Short Term 12. I wouldn't be surprised if
the talented actress were to land an Oscar nomination for her
nonpareil work here as an exasperated mother straining to keep it
together for the sake of a son she loves, despite his being the fruit
of a demon seed.
A terrifying
tale of survival told by an innocent blissfully unaware of his
perilous plight.
Excellent
(4 stars)
Rated R for profanity
Running time: 113 minutes
Distributor: A24
To
see a trailer for Room, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C6fZ-fwDws
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