Film Review: Room

Having read (and loved) the novel by Emma Donoghue, I had high expectations for the film that I wasn't sure it could deliver. The story is of a young girl (Ma) who was kidnapped and imprisoned by an abusive captor who eventually fathers her child (Jack). The film begins as the novel does, on Jack's fifth birthday. Jack has grown up with a completely skewed view of the world because he has only ever lived inside 'Room' and so he's an incredibly unique character with a unique story to tell.

I had huge doubts about whether the film could capture the intensity of the relationship between Ma and Jack. A lot of the book's beauty comes from the feeling that you're invited into a completely private world which leaves you fascinated with Jack and his outlook on life. I wasn't sure that a film would be able to give the same sense of privacy that the novel does. I was also immensely attached to the versions of the characters I had in my head and wasn't ready to be presented with a Jack that didn't fit the version I knew already.

I needn't have worried. Jacob Tremblay portrays Jack with the exact balance between honesty and innocence that this character needs, and he especially gets Jack's sense of curiosity. The supporting cast are incredible and Brie Larson is heartbreaking in every line as Ma. The film is also beautifully shot, creating breathtaking visual distinctions between the intimacy of 'Room' and the possibilities of the outside world. The film is obviously harrowing because of its subject matter but it manages to also be uplifting and hopeful at all the right moments. Having read the book I already knew the plot but I was still chewing on my lip with nerves in pivotal scenes concerning Jack and Ma's fate.

As you can see I was pretty impressed, and the film really does deserve the critical recognition it's currently getting. I'm a big crier at films and TV but even I was shocked when I realised my head hurt as I left the cinema because I'd been holding back tears for pretty much the entire 2 hours! 

Room is in cinemas now. Buy the book here.