A film in two unequal parts

Rating: 8/10 (30 March 2016)

Joy has been held captive in a tiny garden shed for 7 long years and is raped every night by her kidnapper. Jack, her 5 year old son, born in captivity, has no concept of the real world outside. His only "contacts" with the external world are a television with often blurred signals and a skylight. Jack is cheerful and finds new ways to amuse himself every day, playing with shadows or a rat that intrudes into their "home". Joy is biding her time, waiting for Jack to grow up so that he can be told the truth. The bond between mother and son in that claustrophobic Room is extraordinary. This is the better half of the film.
In the second half, Jack and Joy gain freedom in a rather ingenuous and dramatic way. They have to now come to terms with the real harsh world. As they struggle to cope with their newfound lives, so does the film in keeping pace with their struggles. We can see Joy's pain, but cannot empathize with her. How does fortitude desert her so quickly? This is where the film tends to stumble a bit.
Though Brie Larson's "Ma" fetched her an Oscar, it is 10-year old Jacob Tremblay, who stuns you as the 5-year old Jack. It is a portrayal that will haunt long after you have returned to your rooms.