Jan 22,2016
ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother. Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical--they are trapped--confined to a windowless, 10-by-10-foot space that Ma has euphemistically named Room. Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack's curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma's resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world.
| nudity | references to rape |
| violence | A boy sees a woman lying on a bathroom floor unconscious from an apparent suicide attempt. Sexual violence is heavily implied but never shown on screen. In one scene, Old Nick chokes Joy after she tries to protect Jack from him. There are bruises seen on her neck the next morning. |
| profanity | 10 uses of strong language ("fuck") Some milder language includes uses of "Jesus", "bitch", and "God" |
| alcohol | Ma attempts suicide by overdosing on antidepressants |
| frightening | The premise of the film itself is highly disturbing, with a woman being forced to raise a child in a confined space after being kidnapped. Ma is raped on a regular basis, and she hides Jack in a wardrobe whenever Old Nick visits so that he does not have to see what he does to her. When Jack leaves the wardrobe and wakes up Old Nick, Ma panics and attempts to shield Jack from him, Old Nick responds by choking her and threatening to murder her. The scenes where Ma prepares Jack for an escape from Room and sends him out to get help are extremely intense and immensely harrowing. In one scene, Jack manages to play dead and get out of the carpet he is wrapped in as he is being transported by Old Nick in the back of a pickup truck. Although Jack is severely disoriented by the experience of being outside for the first time in his life, he manages to pull himself together to jump off and plead for help from a passing stranger. Although Old Nick tries to grab him, the pedestrian realizes enough of the situation to scare off Old Nick and call the police. When the police arrive, they interview the boy who manages to provide enough information for a successful search and rescue for Joy that night. Joy and Jack's reorientation to freedom is disorienting, especially for the boy. Unfortunately, that includes Jack having to receive multiple injections in relatively rapid succession to properly vaccinate him and it is obviously an unpleasant experience for him, albeit with his mother comforting him as best she can. Ma attempts suicide by overdosing on pills. Jack discovers her laying on the bathroom floor and begins screaming and crying. This is very upsetting. Despite the emotional intensity and the more disturbing elements of the film, it is nonetheless a triumphant and inspiring film about the power of love. |
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