ROOM Review - Redefining Emotions and Spaces through a 5 Year Old

ROOM Review- A movie changing perception about spaces and the world

Deeply emotional, vulnerable and unique, ROOM explores the relationship of Joy (Brie Larson) Maa of Jack (Jacob Tremblay), a 5-year-old through the journey of these two imprisoned lives being perceived as normal. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, the movie is based on the novel authored by Emma Donoghue, titled the same, who also worked as the writer for this project. Lenny has once again proved to be a remarkable director following the success of What Richard Did, Frank, and more. Cinematographer Danny Cohen has done a commendable job filming the movie and always makes you look forward to the upcoming scenes.

Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay and crew on the set of ROOM 

source - shiftermagazine.com         

Background -  Joy was kidnapped and held captive for years in a basement that was 10*10 in size. She didn't go out for years as those are the standard procedures of a kidnapping. Her kidnapper visited her every day, brought all the essentials and harassed her. As a result, she ends up pregnant with a baby boy. She delivers him in that room and now, he is also her companion in captivity. Now, as he grows up, the room is all he has seen and think that is the real world. There is a TV in the room where he watches cartoons but thinks it's all fake.

We've often heard and seen cases about captivity and kidnapping. It's mostly been gruesome and heartfelt except for a few cases where the story is romanticised with Stockholm Syndrome. But what we hadn't witnessed before was hope germinating in the mind of a woman to be free, especially with a child who thinks a 10*10 room is his world, and everything else, only magic and make-believe.

Warning - Spoilers ahead

Top 5 Reasons Why ROOM redefines kidnapping genre

The movie starts with a vague picture. Scratched walls, a torn couch, and Joy hushing her kid to fall asleep. An ongoing narration is followed by Jack, describing how his Maa found him when he fell from heaven through the Skylight into the Room.

Jack has now turned five, a big boy as he exclaims and greets Good Morning all the things around him because that's his world and the real things. The view of the 10 feet room is shabby but has some essentials - Food, TV, Clothes and more, although it does give a picture of a miserable life they're living in. Ironically, Jack is unaware and he's happy with what he has because he hasn't seen anything more. 

The movie delves into the human psyche - how our wants are unlimited, but what if we never knew about some things? Would we still ask for it? Probably yes, but what if whatever you had were the ONLY things that existed in the world.

There are major scenes and tiny details which delves you into the derangement of Old Nick to have kept a woman captive for 7 years.

1 - Old Nick Rapes Joy Every Day

The kidnapper or Old Nick as he's called doesn't ask for sexual favours, he takes them forcefully. He holds Joy captive and rapes her almost every day, for 7 years. Jack hears his mother getting sexually abused but is too young to understand. He's utmost curious as he peeps through the cupboard doors where he sleeps. In his pure world, Old Nick is a magician who provides for them.

2 - Reality Is A Perception

Not to go completely interstellar here, but the movie successfully shows how we interpret reality - Jack's perspective of a world was a room, that is it. It makes one wonder, would he have asked for more when he grows up? Probably yes.

The denial he shows when his Maa tells him there's more to this world, the trees are real, so is the sun, the dogs, cartoons are sketches are more is intriguing. 

The minute Jack goes to the real world, his entire mindset changes, changing his reality.

3 - Changing The Course Of Rescue Missions

Joy plans a rescue mission - for herself and the kid. It was brilliantly executed, but her hopelessness and desperation can't be forgotten. Alice in Wonderland inspires her to get out of the hole and she is willing to do anything. Faking sickness was better than dying in the room forever. 

Another scene points to her looking through the walls, searching through the gates or the hole from where the mouse enters. She frantically tries to dig the place and find a way out but doesn't get any solution. In a scene where Joy is staring at the Skylight, I wondered if she's thinking about breaking it to be free forever.

4 - Embracing Nature

The minute Jack unfolds out of the rug in Old Nick's truck, his eyes wide opens, and he is welcomed by nature. He's amazed but doesn't lose his calm and do as he was asked to. However, while doing so, he could've died. Old Nick definitely tried to sabotage him.

5- Trauma and PTSD

Escaping prison life, Joy is reunited with her family. A lot has changed, her father separates from her mother, he's moved out, and Joy's mental health is out of the window with the trauma and abuse she's been into. Adjusting back to the old life, she tries to go in her old ways - but she's keeping her cool but keeps the viewers wondering - 'How is she so normal'? You expect an outburst and that's exactly what happens - overdosing on the pills and screaming at her mother. 

But you feel for her. She's strong, a warrior and a survivor. When Jack sends her a piece of his hair because that's his 'strong', Joy feels better again. 

The movie proceeds to portray - Going through the bad times suck a little less when there's someone to support you.