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Room
A film by Lenny Abrahamson (Frank)Blaine: “Room” was still showing at AMC Highlands Ranch 24 and they were showing a late show after Six. I saw it on the 6th of February. I honestly didn’t know what “Room” was truly about, but when I saw it, it was clear to me that this is supposed to be somewhat like the Jaycee Lee Dugard story and that it was a very interesting and powerful story. Plot (Spoiler Alert)A woman named Joy has been held captive in a man’s backyard shed for seven years after being kidnapped and during that time he molested he and she gave birth to a boy, who is now five, named Jack. Joy comes up with a plan to escape. Jack has to pretend he’s dead and Joy has to wrap him up in their carpet like it’s a body bag in order for Old Nick to believe it. Jack is not up to it at first, but he participates after Joy promises him that he’ll love the world outside “room". Old Nick shows up and Joy pretends to be devastated that Jack is dead. He takes the carpet and puts it in the back of his truck. After a few stops, Jack rolls himself out of the carpet and sees a sight he has never seen before in his life. Jack tries to jump out, then Old Nick notices him and goes after him. Jack bumps into a man and his dog and Old Nick pulls him away. Jack screams for help and the man grows concerned and says he is calling the cops and Old Nick throws Jack on the ground and leaves. Agata Two officers show up shortly after and take Jack with them. Officer Parker asks Jack where he’s from and who his parents are, but Jack is shy to talk to another person. Jack tries to think of what to say. He says he and his mom live in a shed with a skylight and that in the truck he felt a few turns. Officer Parker also got info that Old Nick was driving a red truck. All that info comes in handy to track Old Nick’s address down. They show up at the house and Officer Parker leaves Jack in the car with the other officer. Jack looks outside the window, wanting his mom and then he sees someone running out of the darkness and it's Joy, calling for her son. Jack screams for his mom and Joy runs to the police car that he’s in. They are then taken to a hospital to be checked out and examined. Jack never got any immunizations, so he has to wear a mask for a few days. Two detectives interview Joy and ask her her story of what Old Jack did to her while she was held captive for seven years before he got arrested. Joy is reunited with her mother, Nancy and father, Robert, but learns that they have separated during her disappearance. Jack learns more about the outside world, but he still has trouble talking to other people. Joy and Jack are brought to the home where Joy grew up in. Nancy’s new partner, Leo, introduces himself and welcomes them home. Joy and Nancy bring Jack up to Joy’s room. Joy can not believe her eyes that her room looks exactly the same after all those years. Nancy wants to cut Jack’s hair, but Jack doesn’t want it cut because that’s where his “strong" comes from. Robert can’t really accept that he has a grandson. All Joy wants him to do is look at Jack, but he can’t and so he leaves. Joy and Jack go through her old high school year books. She shows him a picture of her with her relay team. Jack wonders how long they’re going to stay in the house and Joy tells him know that they live there now. The next morning Leo makes breakfast for Jack. Jack asks Leo about his dog. A friend of Leo is looking after him until Jack’s immune system is back up. Joy’s past haunts her. She is going through a few problems and can’t explain why she isn’t happy. It gets worse after she is interviewed by a talk show hostess who asks if she could have given Jack a better life by getting Old Nick to give him away rather than Jack staying in Room with her. Her words get to Joy. That night, Jack wakes up and notices his mom is not in bed. He hears his mom coughing in the bathroom. He pushes the door open and screams as he finds his mom lying on the ground choking on her own vomit. Joy was attempting suicide. Leo and Nancy hear the screaming and act fast. Nancy calls 911 while Leo stays with Joy. Joy is admitted to a hospital and calls Jack saying she has to be there for a little while, but Jack wants her home. Jack settles in more with his family. Leo introduces Jack to his dog Seamus. Jack wants to cut his long hair and send it to his mom because he feels she needs his strength more then him right now. Jack can’t cut it by himself so Nancy volunteers to do it. Jack has made a friend his own age. As they are playing kick ball, Jack hears someone knocking from inside the house. It Joy and he is very happy to see him. Joy apologizes to Jack and promises that she’ll never to it again. She shows him the hair he sent and lets him know that he saved her life again. She feels she’s not good enough to be his mother, but Jack does. Jack and Joy try out different activities. Jack tells Joy he wants to go to room, just for a visit. Police officers escort them. Jack feels it has shrunk and that it feels different with stuff that was in it gone for evidence. Jack wanted to visit room so he could say goodbye. Joy moves her lips saying “Bye, room” and then they both leave. Blaine: I was nervous when it came to the plan to escape from Old Nick, hoping that Jack would succeed, not get caught and find someone who could help. He did just as his mother told him to and as a result they were both free finally. It starts off as a prison movie, then an escape movie and then it became about adapting to life for little five year old Jack. It’s also a movie about a relationship between a boy and his mother. William H. Macy's role wasn’t that big and it feels like Leo, played by Tom McCamus is more the father figure and a better supporter than Robert. I thought the talk show hostess was cruel asking Joy those questions about letting her son go to have a better life. She loves him with all of her heart like a mother should and Jack needs her. Because of the struggles that Joy was feeling and those rude questions, it was too much for her. I liked Jack’s hair more when it was long, but it does look good short too. Jack wants his mom to have his “strong" because he feels she needs it more then him right now but it’s also like he wants her to have a piece of him. I’ve seen Brie Larson in a few things, but “Room” takes the cake. Jacob Tremblay’s performance as Jack is the best I’ve seen out of a child in a while. Towards the end when Jack asked Joy when they’re going back to room I asked myself “You're having a good life why would want to go back there?" I had a big happy feeling inside me at the end. My rating on “Room” is five out of five stars. AwardsBrie Larson’s performance won her a Golden Globe, a SAG, an Independent Spirit Award and a Oscar for Best Actress during Award season of 2016. Jacob Tremblay I felt deserved an Oscar for his performance. He did however win the Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actor or Actress and he also got a nominated for a SAG Award for Best Supporting Actor. “ Room” was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. Screenwriter Emma Donoghue won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay.
Behind the scenes Music by Stephen Rednicks |