Emotionally moving, captivating and well made

Rating: 10/10 (7 April 2018)

This story about a young mother, stuck in captivity with her innocent five-year old son, is among the finest shown in cinema over these past couple of years. Though there is a glimpse into the horrors of being what it's like to experience being locked up by a twisted, cruel captor for many years inside his small garden shed, the plot also emphasises the struggles they face when having to face the real world that lays outside of 'Room'. Yet through it all, the deep and unbreakable bond between Ma and her little boy, Jack, which punctuates virtually every scene, is what makes this film so moving and never ceases to uplift.
Brie Larson's performance as Ma is absolutely phenomenal; her portrayal as this woman protecting her little boy while battling the gut-wrenching struggles of being stuck inside Room, and then facing the difficulties of transitioning back to the outside world is so beautifully authentic. It was no surprise, and certainly no injustice, that she gained a 100% deserved Oscar win for Best Actress that year. Jacob Tremblay's portrayal as this sheltered, innocent little boy born into this dark world without a full awareness of what's truly going on is also fantastic. The outstanding chemistry between Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay is a huge contributing factor in successfully bringing across this story onto screen.
But aside from the emotionally powerful storyline and excellent acting of the two leads, it is also a brilliantly shot film. Lenny Abrahamson fully deserved his Best Director nomination at the Oscars (despite never standing a chance against the likes of Inarittu that year) as he makes excellent use of cinematography, editing and set design to give an authentic picture of the character's perspective of what Room would be like, as well as the outside world later on. Some of the shots are truly beautiful, in spite of the lack of flashy special effects or lavish set design. Just in case you thought this film would only be good for its acting or emotional capacity, it is a genuinely well filmed movie.
It's great to see that this film on the IMDB Top 250 list, that it's at least come close to getting it's deserved recognition. I would confidently proclaim this as one of the best films of this decade, right up there with the likes of Inception and 12 Years a Slave, not something many people would say.