A child's impression of captivity

Rating: 6/10 (4 March 2016)

A woman and her child are locked in a room. The child is a boy, though his distracting long hair and feminine features suggest otherwise, and the room is his entire world. Room depicts his perspective as his world changes. Although the movie works on an emotional level without feeling too manipulative, I disliked the scenario and was bothered by the questions it raised. How believable is the main characters' captivity, the extent of their trauma, and their attempts to escape it? I have my doubts, but I think the audience is supposed to be too in awe of their maternal bond to care. I, however, wanted a little more intelligence from the tantrum-prone duo. The mother is saved by a five-year-old with a facile understanding of his environment. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose, but let's not pretend it's lovely or enlightening. One could argue the mother protects her son's purity, but even this seems a matter of luck given her limited control over the situation. I guess I can't abandon my intellect to appreciate a child's innocence, especially when it could have been more effectively preserved by a little adult cleverness.
Rating based on five factors, each worth up to two points: Sound: 1.5; Acting/Characterization: 2; Script: 1; Visuals: 1; Concept: 0.5
Total: 6