Room (2015) - Movie Review

If Brie Larson doesn't get more credit than she should have for her performance in 'Room' like what happened in 'Short Term 12', then it would be a complete shameful miss. Even to her co-star Jacob Tremblay, who portrayed her son in this movie, should also be given wide recognition for his exceptional acting here. 'Room' is nothing really without its lead actors (Larson and Tremblay), who provides a closer touch to the claustrophobic atmosphere of its small spaces.

The film is divided into two parts: the first half deals with the mother-and-son relationship taken captive inside a prison-like room where Brie Larson's character Ma was locked in for almost 7 years. Ma always speaks to his son Jack (Tremblay) about how the shows on TV are not real, but mere fantasies to build imaginations of. Jack developing this four corners of the room as the universe mind-set changes his view on life. The second half deals with that, as Jack discovers what really the outside world looks like, and that the objects he saw on books and television were real and tangible materials.

This is a story about a person finding his true self in the world. The re-discovery of reality and moving on what we are used to see. We view the film the way Jack views everything. From sneaking through the closet when Old Man Nick (Sean Bridgers) goes inside their room and not have a single idea of what happens to him and her mom next. Of course, Nick sleeps with Ma every night, but the filmmaking choices doesn't go really to this scene, but through Jack's view inside this closet, counting numbers until they're over.

By the end of the film, we get to see Jack's progression settling and realizing more and more of the outside world. There's plenty of catching up to do still, but Ma and Jack sneaks in again to the small room they have been held. In some ways, as traumatic as it is, this is where they learned to value each other. The importance of not losing each other, which reflected in the later parts of the film, and made their relationship stronger.

'Room' is a heart-grabbing and powerful film that manages to pull emotion and character out of a four-cornered little space. Larson and Tremblay delivered terrific performance, making it as one of the most plausible film of the entire year.

The geek rates it 9/10!