Room (2015) Film Review

Ma (Brie Larson) has been held in a room by a horrible man, Old Nick (Sean Bridgers), kept as a sex slave, for years. She has a son, Jack (Jacob Tremblay) who was born in Room – it is his whole world. All Ma wants to do is protect her son and leave. Jack doesn’t know that anything is wrong with the way they live. And then, finally, they get free… and they need to deal with the outside world, with reuniting with family, with the press and just everything.

The book was hard but wonderful, and this is an excellent interpretation. I think the performance of the young boy was particularly wonderful – not only in his little world, but coming into the real world. Heartbreaking.

Brie Larson won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and Room was nominated for Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing (Lenny Abrahamson) and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (Emma Donoghue)

 

 

 

Room by Emma Donoghue – Book Review

 

It’s been all over the news – the tragic yet wonderful story of the three women, one with a child, who have recently become free from their captor. He seemed like a normal man, yet he kept these women locked up and tortured and raped them for around ten years. It’s unbelievable, yet it’s not the first time we’ve heard of such horror stories.

Room is a book I read a few years ago about such an event. It is told from the point of view of a five-year-old boy who is the child in such a situation. The story is so emotional and horrific, but told with the optimism of a small child. I don’t want to read it again, but should the story unfolding in Cleveland pique your interest, this could be a book for you. If, however, you want to watch a fictional film based on similar events, check out the German film Michael. Just thinking about it makes me a bit sick.