In Room (2015), Joy Newsome, also known as Ma, faces the daunting task of raising her son, Jack, in a 11×11-foot room where they are held captive. Adapted from Emma Donoghue’s novel, Lenny Abrahamson directs a tragic tale of a mother and son who are deprived of the world. This film successfully reaps numerous prestigious awards, including Brie Larson’s first Oscar.
The film begins with Joy’s kidnapping and her confinement in a squalid room for seven years. Joy tries her best to live independently and provide a normal life for her son amidst the room’s cramped and isolated conditions. The room consists of a small kitchen, a dirty bathroom, and a single bed where Joy and Jack sleep. The only source of light comes from a skylight, which functions as their window into the world outside.
Despite their bleak living conditions, Jack remains an innocent child who learns about the world from Joy’s wild stories of aliens, fairytale creatures, and a birthday cake with candles. As he grows older, Joy struggles to explain to him the truth about their captivity and the outside world that he has never seen. Joy teaches him to escape by remembering four things – truck, tumble, jump, and run.
The moment of truth comes when “old Nick,” the captor, becomes increasingly unstable and dangerous. Joy’s instincts finally push her to create a plan to escape, involving her son as the key to their survival. They face many obstacles in their bid for freedom, including hiding from their captor and an unplanned attempt to escape through the skylight.
After their escape, Joy and Jack are welcomed back to the outside world. However, their reunion with society proves to be more challenging than they anticipated. Joy’s overwhelming grief and post-traumatic stress disorder from their imprisonment and the feeling of helplessness lead her to contemplate suicide. Jack, who has never experienced life outside the room, finds it difficult to adapt to his new reality.
Room (2015) has touched the hearts of many viewers worldwide, garnering a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb and a score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes from 316 reviewers. The film won numerous prestigious awards, including the Best Actress Oscar for Brie Larson in 2016.
In conclusion, Room (2015) is a heart-wrenching story of a mother and son’s isolation from the world, their escape, and their re-integration into society. Lenny Abrahamson perfectly captures the emotions and struggles of the two main characters, portrayed brilliantly by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. This film is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience in the face of adversity, and it is a must-watch for everyone who loves a heartwarming yet emotional story.
