Room
Ma* (Brie Larson) and her five year old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) are held captive in a small shed by a man referred to as "Old Nick". Jack has spent his entire life in what he describes as "Room". After his fifth birthday, Ma tells him the truth about the situation and the existance of a world outside and mother and son plan their escape.
I can't help but feel my perception of Room is a little bit skewed by the critical acclaim it has received. Larson and Tremblay's performances are both exceedingly good (in particular Larson captures her character's stoicism brilliantly) but I wasn't as gripped by proceedings as I expected to be. The confined nature of the action in the first half of the film provides more scope for character development and a focus on the mother/son relationship. I found this the more compelling section of the narrative.
An implausible series of events sees Ma and Jack freed as the film enters its second hour and it loses its way a little bit. While it's still interesting to see young Jack attempting to come to terms with the world (eventually building a friendship with another boy and petting a real dog for the first time), certain dramatic events feel a little bit contrived and other important elements are left unexplained.
It's a moving depiction of maternal love in the most wretched of circumstances, if not quite the five star triumph suggested in some quarters.
* Larson's character is named Joy but is credited as "Ma".
I can't help but feel my perception of Room is a little bit skewed by the critical acclaim it has received. Larson and Tremblay's performances are both exceedingly good (in particular Larson captures her character's stoicism brilliantly) but I wasn't as gripped by proceedings as I expected to be. The confined nature of the action in the first half of the film provides more scope for character development and a focus on the mother/son relationship. I found this the more compelling section of the narrative.
An implausible series of events sees Ma and Jack freed as the film enters its second hour and it loses its way a little bit. While it's still interesting to see young Jack attempting to come to terms with the world (eventually building a friendship with another boy and petting a real dog for the first time), certain dramatic events feel a little bit contrived and other important elements are left unexplained.
It's a moving depiction of maternal love in the most wretched of circumstances, if not quite the five star triumph suggested in some quarters.
* Larson's character is named Joy but is credited as "Ma".
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