No Room for Improvement

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2016)

I knew I was wrong, but I avoided this movie for so long because I couldn't help but think it was somehow associated with 2003's The Room. A sequel, remake, reboot, whateverthat unintentionally hilarious, albeit awful Tommy Wiseau film from 13 years ago still haunts me.
And now, this 2015 film haunts me. Only, in a much different way.
Other than my own dumb fears about the similar title, I knew almost zero about it going in, and I would like to try and keep my review to the bare minimum for anyone else who hasn't seen it. In fact, if you have NOT seen it, and you absolutely MUST, stop now, bookmark this and return. I won't spoil anything significant, but even knowing more than me going in, or about 1%, is too much.
Okay, you're back? Good. Here goes, to the best of my ability, my effort to non-spoil this.
Getting the synopsis out of the way might help explain my thoughts and feeling following. Movie opens with a mother and her child in a small room. Within minutes, or less, you realize that is their world. As expected, more and more is revealed on how they came to live in such a small room. And for how long. Too long. It also becomes apparent that the boy knows of nothing else IN HIS ENTIRE EXISTENCE but "Room." Or the mysterious man that enters nightly, brings "presents" on Sundays and is not allowed to see.
Annnd, I'll stop there. There's so much more I want to say. Feelings, emotions, fear, anger, hate, longing and ideas on how to solve the problem. That last onethat's just me. I'm always trying to put myself in the character's shoes and attempt to fix whatever problem, or plainly, "what would I dobetter?" After some ideas, luckily, I realized: I am NOT in her shoes. I never experienced what she went through. I doubt 0.00000001% of the world's souls ever has. So, I'm glad I could shut down the "obvious solutions" to this mother and son's imprisonment.
So, there you go. The movie's about a kidnapped mother and her son in a tiny room. How would you cope? How would you care for your child when all he knows is those four walls? How would you escapeif you ever could? How would a five-year-old experience the real worldif he never has before?
This movie is harrowing, magnificent, brilliant, tough, original and has some of the best acting I've seen in years. Of course, Brie "Mother" Larson was fantastic. Never once did I not believe her, she was as real as it gets. But, damn, that boy, (at the time of filming) 8-year-old Jacob Tremblay was incredible. I did love his mother's performance, but multiply that by two for Tremblay. You can't help but be captivated for what he has to go through, or learn about "the real world" outside of Room.
The other performances were solid – ALWAYS love me some Joan Allen – as was the cinematography, score, directioneverything. I can barely think of one thing I didn't like here. Okay, well, maybe one thing
Even though I still grant this movie my highest honor: 10 out of 10 stars and it does nab my top pick of the eight Oscar nominated Best Pictures of 2015 so far (still have yet to see Bridge of Spies and Brooklyn,) my only complaint is that I wanted to know more. More of the aftermath, and the details of what's outside Room.
Guess I need to go buy the book this is based on.
My one gripe, which really isn't a complaint, isn't enough to lessen how incredible my experience was with this movie and how perfectly it was shot and performed. You must see Room.
Um, to clarify, don't see "The" Room. Just "Room."