Room

I recently went to see the film, “Room" which I thought was excellent. There is an intimacy about the film that engaged me from start to finish. It was tense and emotional and at times it brought up strong feelings for me.

 ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a lively five-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother. Like any good mother, Ma dedicated herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, showering him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories.

 Their life is anything but typical. They are confined in a sparsely furnished and cramped garden shed which Ma named “Room”. It had a small skylight that allowed some semblance of nature to enter. Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room; she will stop at nothing to ensure that Jack, even in this dangerous environment will be able to live a complete and fulfilling life. Ma lives for her son Jack who is a bright, energetic, healthy bundle of joy. The affection of a mother for her son in such dire circumstances comes across very strongly in the film.  

As Jack gets older, it dawns on Ma that he is becoming increasingly more curious. Old Nick, their captor cannot be trusted and they enact a risky plan to escape. The outcome is a successful one but it brings both mother and son face–to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world. Being free is one thing. Actually feeling free is another. And the story continues…

I found the film challenging and it left me pondering some questions. What do I really need to live? Why are kids so amazingly resilient when under duress? How does a parent cope when their child begins to outgrow their need for them?

I think Director Lenny Abrahamson could not have chosen a better pairing than Brie Larson, who played the role of Ma brilliantly, and Jacob Tremblay, a small wonder whose great gift is his natural ability to play the character Jack.

In the end, we are rightfully left once more with mother and child. Together, they are able to close the door on the past and look to the future that is just dawning. It is a film worth seeing if you haven’t already done so while it is still on general release.