"The movie wasn't as good at the book." Many of us have said this on numerous occasions while walking out of the movie theater. However, the film "Room" sparks a different reaction. It is one of the only films that I can confidently say stayed true to the book, while conveying the same emotions that were on paper on the screen.
Inspired by Emma Donoghue's novel "Room," the film is about a mother and her little boy trapped in an 11-foot by 11-foot shed, which they call "room." To the boy, Jack, it is his home. Yet, to the mother, it is her solitary confinement as she is a prisoner to the four walls that surround them. It is about their journey, their escape and, most importantly, their life after the room.
The film has gained much success in the industry. The main actress, Brie Larson, won Best Actress at the Oscars. The film also had nominations in three other categories: Best Director, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Larson had been getting recognition leading up to her Oscar achievement in "Room" at other award ceremonies, such as at the Critics' Choice Awards, BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Independent Spirit Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Larson's fictional son, Jacob Tremblay, has also been nominated and won many awards for his performance in the film, such as the Critics' Choice Best Young Actor/Actress and Best Breakthrough Artist, just to name a couple. He was also on "Ellen" and presented an Oscar at the Academy Awards. Tremblay's acting shows how he is beyond his years and is well deserving of his recognition. Both Larson's and Tremblay's embodiment of "Ma" and "Jack" have taken them to the top.
The story itself is one of a kind. We see the world through Jack's innocent eyes, only aware of what his "Ma," also known as Joy, lets him believe. He is unaware of the world outside of the four walls that enclose him and holds on to the idea that he and his Ma are the only real people, and everything else is just TV. He has to hide in a wardrobe when the captor, "Old Nick," comes into the shed. When Joy reaches her breaking point, she devises a plan to get out of the room that confined her for seven years.
When they finally gain their freedom, you see all the things that we take for granted every day. Jack had never seen a leaf before, and the bright blue sky hurt his eyes. It is a film that makes you think not only in the movie theater, but also when you go about your daily life. Through Jack's view, he explores and questions the infinite possibilities of the world. By seeing the world through his lens, it makes you realize how often we take advantage of the small things in life. The story makes you realize that it is a privilege that we get to smell the fresh air every morning, or that we get to hug our parents when we get home. The world portrayed in the film and novel puts reality into perspective.
If you want an inspiring story, both in book and movie form, then "Room" is for you. The acting and the story will enamor you. Be ready to fall in love with one mother's will to survive, and watch as one child discovers the world for the first time. You will walk out of the movie theater saying "Wow, that was one of the best movies I have ever seen."
