Review of Room (2015) by Joyce B — 10 Dec 2017

More Room to Love.

Room is a stunning and heart-wrenching drama about a young mother trying to raise her 5-year-old son in a traumatic situation. Ma (Brie Larson) and her son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) endure unimaginable trials together, proving how strong the bond between a mother and her child can be.

Ma and Jack's situation is slowly revealed to us in pieces through Jack's perspective. As we gain more information about Room, the tiny space Jack and his Ma are confined to, we discover they are being held captive by a man called "Old Nick". He kidnapped Ma long ago, and she has matured into an adult and a mother in Room. Old Nick is a typical abusive kidnapper type, but his violence toward Ma is devastating from Jack's perspective.

Ma does everything in her power to keep Jack safe. When Old Nick moves to touch Jack, Ma fights fiercely to protect Jack, showing how strong her love for him is. She does whatever she can to shield Jack from the realities of their captivity, including telling him stories to explain away their horrible situation. It works to keep Jack safe and satisfied until she realizes their survival depends on their escape. It then proves to be more difficult than she expected to get Jack to give up the cozy stories she told him. When Ma finally convinces him that there is a world outside of Room, the movie reaches a pivotal climax. The fate of Ma and Jack rests on Jack's shoulders, relying on the strength of their bond to save them.

The second half of the movie is very different. They escape from Old Nick, but adjusting to freedom proves to be more difficult than attaining it. This is where the strength of their bond is truly tested. Jack has never been exposed to anything in the real world, and Ma desperately wants to go back to the way things were before she was kidnapped. Devastatingly, they begin to drift apart as their individual challenges divide them. It isn't clear if their tight-knit bond will remain outside of Room. Jack sees Ma is struggling and asks Ma's mother, "Can my strong be her strong too?" She responds with what I think defines the central theme of the film, saying "Of course it can. We all help each other be strong.".

Some might say that Room's second act is unnecessary. I would argue that Room's second act is the most important, and the film would lose a crucial part of the story without it. Often a kidnap drama is resolved as soon as the protagonist goes free. They rarely go beyond that to tell us what happens next. Room provides a deep and critical exploration of what happens to Ma and Jack in the second act. It suggests that the most important challenge for them to overcome isn't the kidnapping at all; it's figuring out how to be normal again. This leads to meaningful discoveries for both characters, and through their growth, the audience grows too.

As heartbreaking as much of the film is, the ending is intensely satisfying. It is more rewarding because of how Ma and Jack are challenged. By exemplifying the strength of love, Room reminds us to be thankful for what we have and love a little more fiercely.