Room

A24

             For those who aren’t aware of Brie Larson’s previous work, you should know that she is truly an amazing talent. Her 2013 film “Short Term 12,” is a prime example of a past Oscar snub, and a harrowing and heartfelt film that deserves so much more attention than it got. Luckily Larson was aptly awarded for her work in this indie jewel, based on the Emma Donohue novel of the same name. Mostly set in a single room, the story follows a young mother and her son (who only knows the inside of a room). His mother teaches him about the outside world and the horrifying circumstances that have led to the pair’s current fate. Never anything but brutally painful, this film is not for the weak at heart. It feels so intimate and yet so obscure with its subject matter that you always feel like a casual observer, unable to help the victim of a terrible crime.

            “Room” received four nominations, including Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. This year I have poked a lot of holes in the casting decisions of the nominated faire. With the next two films I am reviewing I can’t make that distinction since they are period pieces and biopics. In this film the cast was small so there really wasn’t much room for more diversity then there was. Brie Larson deserved her nomination and win for Best Actress. Not that the other nominees didn’t deserve their dues, but no one else really packed a wallop like Larson. She balances between the darkness within her and her motherly instinct to survive. She is beyond flawless in her depiction of a woman tied to the past and yet willing to be happy for the first time; since her childhood was stolen from her.

            Equally amazing was the performance from child actor Jacob Tremblay, a young talent with a chipmunk cute voice, a face like an angel, and a set of acting chops unequivocal to an adult performer. A lot was riding on the young shoulders of this film’s supporting player, and he delivered a portrait of a young man warped by the trauma he suffered, as well as his isolation from the outside world. His transformation from a spirited yet unseen hermit, and into a normal young boy, is a slow and inspiring conversion. Tremblay balances between the impish charm of a fairytale character and the uneven choices and motivations of the child that he is.

            While this is not a triumph for diversity, it is for feminism. Stories told about women and LGBT are becoming a greater reality, and so many award nominations going to a story of a woman trapped by a male captor lets audiences better understand the inner strength of survivors. This story is flavored by true events, but also thousands of every day stories from women who are never found, and never go back to their families. If even one person better understands survivors’ plights then this film did its job aptly.