Five-year-old Jack (Jacob Tremblay) lives with his mother (Brie Larson) in a room that, we gradually discover, they never leave. Jack doesn’t mind; never having known any different (let alone a haircut) this one windowless room is his entire world. But even in this tiny world where everything has a story and anything can be his playmate, there are dangers that must be avoided. When Old Nick (Sean Bridgers) visits, Jack has to hide in the closet, even though he’s their only source of supplies.
Why can Nick leave when they can’t? And why is his mother increasingly pushed to breaking point by Jack’s questions? Director Lenny Abrahamson’s adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s novel (she also wrote the screenplay) can’t duplicate the book’s commitment to Jack’s point-of-view, but this remains his story, with the world both in and outside Room seen through his eyes. Fortunately, Tremblay never becomes cloying or annoying despite a role that requires both tantrums and constant questioning, while Larson’s performance is her strongest yet, running the gamut of emotions in a role that’s one ordeal after another while maintaining her core devotion to her son. The result is a powerful film without easy answers; sometimes just getting through is a win.
Reviewed by Anthony Morris
