One of the most common and essential historical literary pieces we have learned at school was the Allegory of the Cave. It is a metaphorical story about men's choice of ignorance despite being presented with the truth.
There have been quite a few adaptations that we may have seen, like the Truman Show or The Matrix.
2015 comes another A24 classic that perfectly captures the same experience as the cave but in a dramatic way.
Plot Overview
The movie follows the story of Joy Newsome, a young mother, and her five-year-old son, Jack. They live in a small shed they call "Room." They share a bed, bathtub, television, and kitchen inside the tight space. Their only window is a skylight where they dream about falling leaves, snow, rain, etc. They were locked inside by Jack's biological father, whom they named Old Man Nick. He visits every once in a while to rape Joy while Jack sleeps inside the closet. It is revealed that he locked Joy seven years before the current storyline. She tells Jack that the only world is the room, and the things outside can only be viewed on the television.
Joy maintains an optimistic attitude but soon realizes that Jack experiences malnutrition due to a lack of proper and nutritional food. One night, Nick tells Joy that he has lost his job and may be unable to provide their supplies. Joy is also shocked when Nick interacts with Jack and slaps him. This angered Nick, who cut off their heater and electricity. Joy begins telling Jack about the "real" outside world, and his reaction of disbelief combined with curiosity allows them to enact a plan to escape from "Room." Their goal is simple: Jack will fake that he has died from sickness, and while Nick carries him outside their place, he will escape and call for help. They keep on practicing for several days until the right time. However, there is also a thought on Joy's mind if they are both ready to face the outside world and the changes they have to face.
Review
Room delivers powerful acting performances from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. Brie Larson won her first acting award at the 88th Academy Awards.
Room is a pretty devastatingly emotional film that thrusts itself as one of A24's best at delivering parallel storylines that tear your heart out. I honestly like how the story is divided into two parts when Joy and Jack are inside the Room and outside. I like how it becomes unpredictable whether Jack is ready to accept the world outside or is content to stay with his Ma.
The movie is neatly paced and strives for character development for both Joy and Jack. Some parts may be a tad off but I never got bored watching it.
If you are looking for story-heavy movies with many moral lessons, Room is one that you should look out for. It's a simple film yet delivers powerful storytelling. The ending is the perfect icing on the cake.