Room (2015) Movie Review

Room is a 2015 drama film directed by Lenny Abrahamson based on the 2010 eponymous novel by Emma Donoghue. It stars Brie Larson as a woman who has been living in a room for 7 years with her 5-year-old boy Jack portrayed by Jacob Tremblay. Brie Larson's character Joy was kidnapped 7 years ago and since then she has been living in captivity, in a small room where her son was born. The film is about the life of Joy and Jack in the room, their escape, and their experiences once they're free.

• The acting is the strongest aspect of this film. It has deservedly received unanimous praise. Brie Larson won many awards for her performance. Joan Allen as Joy's mother Nancy was great too. However, I think the strongest performance was delivered by the young Jacob Tremblay. He completely steals the show as Jack.
• Even though the first half of the film feels like a thriller, this movie isn't one. Although if it was a thriller it could've been a really good one because the first half is really gripping. The film is essentially a character study of Jack, Joy, Joy's parents and also the Room. And it does a great job at that.
• I am a fan of films where the ambience is kind of melancholy in nature. This film executes that fairly well with the gloomy look of the film.

• This is sort of a nitpick but William H. Macy, who plays Brie Larson's father, was never really utilized in the movie. He barely has 5 minutes of screen time.
• Some of the emotional aspects feel a little underdeveloped like Joy's relationship with her parents, especially her mother. Maybe a little more time could've been devoted to that.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this film to any moviegoer. It is a deeply emotional and hopeful film that anyone can like.