Make Space for this Room

Though most people would call the highly regarded Academy Award nominated film Room a searing drama, to me, if you boil it down to its base element, it is a horror picture – not the type that we now call horror, with chainsaws, gore and excessive violence, but one that causes the viewer to feel fear and shock in the most realistic and human of ways, thus making it a very powerful and hard-hitting viewing experience. And a highly worthwhile one at that.

Emma Donoghue adapts her own book for the screen and puts it into the capable hands of director Lenny Abrahamson, who transports us within the claustrophobic locked shed with our two leads, Ma (Brie Larson) and her five year old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay). The beginning is purposely choppy and disorienting, placing us, the viewer, in a very vulnerable position. This slow burner divulges that Ma was kidnapped at the age of seventeen by a bearded man known as Old Nick (Sean Bridgers). We follow the just-turned-five year old Jack, where we see the only world he has ever known. His imagination runs wild, despite the fact that the only window to the outside world is a small skylight in the ceiling (though, in essence he cannot imagine anything outside of the four walls – tricking him into thinking that the enclosed space is the whole wide world). Each night, he is placed into a cabinet with slats, as the mother is trying to protect him from the very real monster that has locked them up. We hear and see as much as Jack does – with the sounds and small visuals (as Old Nick enters) adding to the dismay. Other terrifying moments such as Ma’s tooth rotting and being pulled out only add to the intensity. Despite the horrific happenings, it is amazing to see how much Ma has taught her son while managing to make a life for the young boy.

As you can probably guess, the twosome escape their prison and I will not reveal the harrowing scene so that you can experience it firsthand. Perhaps you would think that this is where the horror story ends, but what we soon realize is that after seven years of cloistered captivity, the earth can be a rather scary place to be. Everything is a threat to the mother and son, from the lack of germs and animals they have been exposed to, to the fame and media that is desperate to greet and interview the duo. There is also intense and raw powerful emotion when Ma finally gets to see her mother Nancy (Joan Allen) and father Robert (William H. Macy) again – yet even that has changed, as the two have gotten divorced while she was missing.

There are numerous important moments in the second half of the film, with her father’s reaction to Jack and an interview Ma does with a reporter leaving a powerful impact on us – and making us realize how difficult and cruel the world can be for two people who have been shut away for many long years.

Where this film detours from its horror roots is through the powerful message of love and survival that gives this movie its heart. We get to see the young boy flourish outside of the room – showing that the innocence of children and their ability to adapt to any situation is a godsend. The bond between mother and child is as powerful as ever in this film. Her efforts to make his life as normal as possible, creating a cheerful, bright, literate and energetic boy who is versed in the likes of Samson (comparing his long hair to the hero of old) is beyond touching. It is an utterly moving journey as Abrahamson skilfully places us in every dire situation that they experience.

The performances are truly masterful. Brie Larson is excellent as the young mother trapped in an unbearable position. The way she bonds with young Jacob Tremblay truly makes us feel as though we are watching mother and son trapped in this terrifying room. It is just as powerful to watch her regress when she tries to reintegrate into the world (as she is not as malleable as her young son in this regard). Tremblay is earthshattering – capturing every emotion needed for the difficult role while never looking like he is acting. The child’s simple outlook on life is able to melt away much of the sorrow found in this film – a perfect example being when Ma exclaims that she has not been a good-enough mother and her son simply responds that “You are Ma”. Larson deserves a long hard look for her performance this Oscar season, and it is a shame that Tremblay did not make the cut. Tom McCamus (who plays Nancy’s second husband Leo) and Joan Allen play vital roles as they help Jack break down his barriers once he leaves the shed. They capture the love, silliness and unrelenting effort that is needed to transport the two survivors back into the real world.

Watching Room is an amazing cinematic experience. It is not hard for the audience to feel every emotion along with the leads – fear, terror, angst, confusion, disorientation, and most importantly, hope and love are all on display here. Perhaps it is not surprising that the ‘draw of the room’ comes back into play towards the end of the picture, creating a striking bookend to the piece and letting us know that the door is always open.