Room (2015)

[Ezen Baklattan]

No, not the Tommy Wiseau film.

[Ezen Baklattan]

This was incredible. I know it's often a hyperbole when people say this, but it really makes you see more of the beauty of the world after you leave. Larson and Tremblay are amazing together, and their relationship, though its ups and downs, single handedly carries the movie as they go through their unusual series of events. Right as the movie seems like it may end, the actual second act begins, exploring the impact of what follows, and every emotion captured feels authentic, real, and truly mesmerizing. It's a true emotional powerhouse. As I said before, the heart of the movie is the love between mother and son, and I've never seen a relationship between parent and child this raw, this beautiful. I cried so many times during the second act, and the finale gave me goosebumps.

 

It's a comparable movie experience to Cloud Atlas, Inside Out, and Her for me. Truly a masterpiece of cinematic empathy and hope.

[RichWS]

I echo everything Spaghetti said. This is a truly incredible film and the best I've seen since Her. GO SEE IT. 

[Kvikk Lunsj]

Everything Spaghetti said. The best movie I seen of 2015. The movie is so well done. I loved loved loved it. Go see it when you have a chance.

5/5

[Webslinger]

Harrowing but ultimately uplifting, Room is as powerful as it is difficult to watch. As could be expected given the film's plot structure, it feels like two different films in one, but each section sears and affirms deeply. Director Lenny Abrahamson and screenwriter Emma Donoghue (adapting from her own novel) are each deserving of every end-of-the-year accolade that they receive for crafting and guiding such a unique and emotionally authentic cinematic experience, and for avoiding overt manipulation in favor of unforced emotional connection at every turn. Under their guidance, we also see what are sure to be several of the very best performances of the year. As Ma, the most prominent adult character in the film, Brie Larson does the best work of an extremely-promising early career. She's essentially playing two different characters - young Jack's Ma, and the Joy who has not seen the outside world since being abducted as a teenager - and she nails the nuances of each one. It's extraordinary work that - alongside her severely underrated work in Short Term 12 - heralds her as one of the greatest talents of her generation. Jacob Tremblay is also excellent as the boy, Jack. His performance never feels the slightest bit false nor precocious, and it goes a long way toward underlining the film's power and authenticity. Truthfully, it's tough to think of many better performances from a child actor, which is quite the credit to both Tremblay and his director, Abrahamson. Joan Allen also gets several quietly powerful scenes that serve to highlight the heartbreak that the situation within the titular room has caused in the outside world. Truly, it is difficult to describe the emotional wallop that Room provides over the course of its running time; rather, suffice it to say that it's a film that any serious connoisseur of the medium must experience.

 

A 

[The Stingray]

Wow, this one completely blew me away. Powerful, gripping and heartwrenching, with phenomenal performances across the board. I got teary-eyed on several occasions. It's difficult viewing for sure, but there are also glimmers of hope in there.

 

My second favorite film of the year.

 

9.5/10

 

Edited January 18, 2016 by The Stingray

[somebody85]

Man I wanted to love this and was greatly anticipating it after hearing the reviews...but I'm going to go against popular opinion and say my main problem with this movie was Brie Larson.

There are scenes where she acts too calm and not like someone who would probably have major PTSD after suffering through that. Her scene once the cops get to the house and she runs to the car was emotional and powerful. But after that is when her performance was kind of all over the place.

So when she does start to breakdown and avoid Jack, it feels unearned because of how normal she acted before. And yes those scenes are great but I just wish her character was more consistent.

I can't say how anyone would actually act in that situation but to me, she was too casual when she got back home. And the dinner scene with William Macy was too "made for TV" for me. So was the "maybe I shouldn't have helped the disabled man with the dog" scene.
 

Also in the final scene, Joys body language towards Room didn't seem believable. I liked the silent goodbye but I didn't feel the connection she had to that space. In reality I'd think she would be terrified of even approaching it even though it was so familiar. She just acted annoyed with being there while Jack says goodbye.

It's a good movie, I just didn't think it was great. I feel like someone like Rooney Mara would have absolutely nailed both parts of the role. Brie did great when they were in Room and during the breakdowns but she is off screen for awhile once they get back. And it's in those scenes when she first comes home that don't ring realistic to me. It felt like acting and I couldn't get immersed in her character.

Speaking of acting, Jacob Tremblay was absolutely amazing from beginning to end. What an incredibly talented kid. They also did a great job of calling out the media and what interviews like those can lead to.

I had no idea where the story was going to go, I hadn't even seen a trailer for this before watching it.
 

Edited December 20, 2015 by somebody85

[Michael Gary Scott]

Such a great film Larson and Trembley were great I agree their relationship is what made the movie. Such a well made film. 

5/5

[Dan9]

Savage, beautiful, harrowing, inspiring... 

 

The director has an ability to jump swiftly from one tone to the next leaving you wondering what kind of film it's going to be, but it does so without tripping over itself. Larson is really great and I'm a massive fan of hers but Tremblay's performance is next level. They work wonderfully together and I completely believed what I was seeing felt real. Jack's discovery of the world around him was beautiful, I cried several times. Wonderful filmmaking. 

 

A 

 

As a side note, that interview was ridiculous; 'Why didn't you let your son go? Have you considered suicide?' WHAT THE FUCK?! 

Edited January 16, 2016 by Dan9

[baumer]

This movie killed me....made me weep like I did in Titanic.

 

9.5/10

[filmlover]

Room is about two people stuck in a tough hard to fathom situation. It's a topic that feels especially relevant in light of the Ariel Castro kidnappings and imprisonment of three women that lasted several years. But Room is not "A Humorless Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." This is a film that packs an undeniably powerful punch- at its core, it is the story about the bond between a young mother and her young son, and I dare even the cynical viewer to not be moved (when "Ma" was released from Room by the police and was reunited with Jack...my god somebody hold me). Brie Larson, who has been impressing in supporting parts for years, delivers a performance that is both layered and affecting. She has cemented herself as one of the very best actresses of her generation. Young Jacob Trembley is an incredible discovery, a completely natural child performer. Joan Allen is has the most significant supporting role, with moments where her facial expressions reveal her pain from the inside. Very few movies have made me step back and look at life in the way this one does. See it, bring a box of Kleenex, and feel ultimately uplifted. A

[MrPink]

why was William H Macy such a dick tho?

[baumer]

1 minute ago, MrPink said:

why was William H Macy such a dick tho?

 

Because he didn't agree with her having a kid from her rapist.

[MrPink]

2 hours ago, Baumer said:

 

Because he didn't agree with her having a kid from her rapist.

 

Personally couldn't imagine rejecting a 5 year old child just because of the father but that's just me. Fuck William H Macy!

 

I enjoyed it more for the performances but maybe the first half just made me feel too uncomfortable throughout. 

[TalismanRing]

2 hours ago, Baumer said:

 

Because he didn't agree with her having a kid from her rapist.

 

I think he just couldn't look at the child and not see the man who repeatedly raped his child for 7 years.   It was the first day and one would hope he'd get past that but unfortunately we don't see him again.

 

Fantastic film.  Gut wrenching yet heartwarming because of the relationship between mother and son. Brie is wonderful but I think Trembly gives the performance of the year.  He should have been nominated for Best Actor - and won.  

 

I hope Leo is happy knowing he stole his Oscar from a child.

 

 

Edited January 23, 2016 by TalismanRing

[filmlover]

2 hours ago, MrPink said:

why was William H Macy such a dick tho?

Whenever he looked at Jack, all he could see were visions of the possible horrors his daughter went through for more than half a decade. It's further embellished upon later on when Joan Allen asks Jack as they make cupcakes the kind of questions she couldn't bring herself to ask Joy (or she wouldn't answer) and we see the quiet look of pain on her face when he innocently describes what would happen when Old Nick would "visit."

 

I'm surprised they didn't cast Macy as the surprisingly cool stepdad instead. Makes me wonder if most of his scenes were cut out.

[baumer]

The step dad is a Canadian actor.  I have never heard of him but he was in The Sweet Hereafter, an Atom Egoyan film and this is a Canadian co-production so his casting imo has more to do with that than anything else.  I do wonder though, and maybe @Telemachos can explain this.  How is this and a film like Brooklyn allowed to be nominated for anything?  Isn't it just American films that qualify for the Oscars?  and best foreign film, is that just foreign language film?  

[TalismanRing]

4 minutes ago, Baumer said:

The step dad is a Canadian actor.  I have never heard of him but he was in The Sweet Hereafter, an Atom Egoyan film and this is a Canadian co-production so his casting imo has more to do with that than anything else.  I do wonder though, and maybe @Telemachos can explain this.  How is this and a film like Brooklyn allowed to be nominated for anything?  Isn't it just American films that qualify for the Oscars?  and best foreign film, is that just foreign language film?  

 

It's Best Foreign Language Film which is why we don't see UK films in the category but as with Animation those films still qualify for Best Film and other categories if they have a qualifying US release date.

[filmlover]

1 minute ago, Baumer said:

The step dad is a Canadian actor.  I have never heard of him but he was in The Sweet Hereafter, an Atom Egoyan film and this is a Canadian co-production so his casting imo has more to do with that than anything else.  I do wonder though, and maybe @Telemachos can explain this.  How is this and a film like Brooklyn allowed to be nominated for anything?  Isn't it just American films that qualify for the Oscars?  and best foreign film, is that just foreign language film?  

As long as a movie plays in at least one multiplex in LA for at least a week between January 1-December 31 during the year of their release without being available through other methods (VOD, etc) first, they are allowed to compete for any category. So, any movie that is released by a major U.S. distributor can compete.

[baumer]

Thanks @TalismanRing