#MUFFApproved: Room
Both a literal space and a metaphor about healing
Starring: Brie Larson
Written by: Emma Donoghue
In the film Room, Joy ‘Ma’ Newsome (Brie Larson) does everything in her power to protect her young son, Jack, from the realism of their forced imprisonment, building a world out of the small, confined shed they live in. The movie is told through Jack but as an adult viewer you see and understand the crushing reality that their lives are—but also the beauty of the mother/son relationship that keeps Joy moving.
Half of the story is spent in “Room” and half outside, where both Joy and Jack try to assimilate into the real world. While in Room, Joy built this fictitious environment to protect her son from the reality that they were being imprisoned, but has to tear it down to help them escape. Joy always wants the best for Jack but comes to realize that protecting him from the truth is only depriving him of the wonders of existence.
Brie Larson’s portrayal of a young woman having to grow up so quickly for the sake of her son, and handling her own adversity, is so subtle and beautiful, it’s no wonder she swept up all the accolades this past awards season. Joy is strong in maintaining her resolve to make Jack’s life normal and happy but she’s human and has her “gone days,” as Jack puts them: she’s unable to even get out of bed and take care of herself and her child sometimes because the matter of her situation is so crushing.
The trauma of being abducted and held captive for seven years stays with Joy after their freedom and she doesn’t know how to handle the feeling of never having left Room. It’s incredibly refreshing to see an honest portrayal of PTSD in film and television (see also: Jessica Jones) instead of the common “crazy/broken” trope that is so common with any mental health issue.
I’m always a little skeptical of a film based off of a book where the author had a hand in writing the script — they’re two different mediums and two different disciplines. But Room is one of the few exceptions in the past…I-don’t-know-how-long that an author (this time Emma Donoghue) has successfully translated their work so gracefully for the big screen. Whereas some authors might cherish their work so much so that they’re unwilling to part with any bit of it to adapt the story, Donoghue knew what was most essential to the story was the relationship between Joy and Jack — a mother and son — and the rest came second.
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