ROOM (2015) Review
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson
Written by Emma Donoghue from her novel of the same title, Room stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay with their captivating performances that will capture the audiences attention and hearts. The film opens with its two main characters Joy and Jack Newsome, a mother and son trapped in a room even before Jack was born. This already makes things interesting as to how, what and why. But as the story moves, we learn that Joy was abducted and was raped that caused her to get pregnant and have Jack. But even though Jack is made not because of love, Joy accepts her son wholeheartedly and protects her with her life.
But all of these, being confined in a little room for more than a decade has reached its toll for Joy. So Joy has a plan of escaping Old Nick‘s premises and be with her parents to live her life with her son. But she can’t do it, Jack has to. And so she let her son pretend to be dead so Old Nick will remove him from the Room and laid him to rest somewhere that has trees on it. But little did he know that everything was a ploy for Jack to run and get someone to rescue them from Old Nick. And it worked, Jack reached to someone and they gave him to the authorities and saved Joy from the Room.
Now, while you think that everything is going fast, it isn’t. Because the main story is how they will try to live in the outside world for being confined almost all their lives. Here’s where the real drama kicks in. While Jack is adjusting to being an ordinary child, Joy has to adapt from being a child to being an adult as she already has a kid of her own. Brie Larson handled everything with passion. You can see how she embraces the character, how she digs her emotions looks raw. Jacob Tremblay on the other hand is so adorable you want to take him home with you.
Room feels like an experiment, a case study. It’s like rediscovering the world through the eyes of a child in a moving and at times unpleasant story. It’s realistic in every way that the emotions thrown are natural, heartfelt and acted tremendously. It may not be for everyone but if you follow its story the right way through the right character, Room is more than just a film. It is an experience.
4.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“Room” opens February 17 in Philippine cinemas from Pioneer Films. Rated PG by the MTRCB.