Brie Larson makes the jump to big league acting in Lenny Abrahamson’s intense drama about the relationship between Ma, a kidnapped girl and her son Jack (Jacob Tremblay). Both are held in captivity for years, and Ma and Jack come to form a unique bond as she seeks to protect him from the squalid truth about the room they share. They captor is barely seen, and the abuse he foists on Ma is hinted at rather than seen graphically, but after an intense escape scene, Room settles to examine the damage done to Ma, and how Jack manages to rescue his mother just as she cared for him. Wrongly marketed as a feel-good drama, Room is a dark story about abuse and recovery; it may go to a very dark place indeed, but the two final scenes are life-affirming and incredibly moving. Based on the book by Emma Donoghue.
I just watched this. I am still disturbed.
That’s the right reaction. A very tense and disturbing film. Well made, but audiences do need warnings about content.
I wish I had been warned, honestly. But I don’t regret seeing it. I am an adoptee and often get triggered.
Sure, but it pops up on streaming like a rom-com and it’s full of things that might trigger the unwary. To me, critics do have a role to play in helping people choose the right movie for them.
I appreciate you for that. Your reviews are so helpful.