I'd been meaning to catch Room for weeks, even before Brie Larson was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role at the forthcoming Academy Awards presentation. I knew of it only the synopsis provided by Village 8 on their website:

Both highly suspenseful and deeply emotional, ROOM is a unique and touching exploration of the boundless love between a mother and her child. After 5-year-old Jack (Jacob Tremblay) and his Ma (Brie Larson) escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world. As he experiences all the joy, excitement, and fear that this new adventure brings, he holds tight to the one thing that matters most of all--his special bond with his loving and devoted Ma.

What enclosed surroundings? Why did they escape? Room has been a Louisville Exclusive, meaning that it has played only at Village 8, which is indicative of smaller, more artsy fare - oftentimes the more thought provoking sort, and that's the kind of movie I've been in the mood to see of late.

As the movie got underway, I began to think of Dogtooth. It isn't just the setting and circumstances, but the theme of how such a setting might affect people. Unlike the children in that film, though, Jack thankfully has a truly loving mother determined to keep him safe and healthy.

There's something about the way the movie is presented that feels incongruous with its content. Music is sparse, dialogue is restrained, and the cinematography and editing feel casual. It isn't that these things undermine the story's dire scenario, however. On the contrary, they attest to how this has been daily life for Jack his entire life, and Ma for another two years on top of that. I didn't consciously put that together until the scene later of Jack playing in the yard with the neighbor boy. I got to thinking of how reserved that scene felt; it's not overtly exuberant, as would be typical. Director Lenny Abrahamson trusted that we were invested enough to feel that moment of triumph on our own, which must have been a daunting choice to make. It was the right one, as it turned out.

Room is up for four Oscars. Here are my thoughts on those:

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role -Brie Larson {"Ma"}
Ma is a complex character, the kind that is often portrayed with pervasive urgency. Larson's performance here reflects Abrahamson's tonal approach to the story, though, her demeanor generally subdued and patient. This has the effect of making her outbursts (almost all of which relate to protecting Jack) all the more startling. I haven't seen any of the other performances competing against Larson, but I can certainly get behind her being awarded for her work here.

Side note: How terrific was Jacob Tremblay as Jack?! That kid's earnestness matches Larson's controlled, measured Ma, and a key reason why her performance is as compelling as it is is that she shares the screen with Tremblay.

Best Picture - Ed Guiney, Producer
Again, I've not seen this film's competitors so I can't speak to how it stacks up against them. What I can say is that as much as I appreciate how much the film held back in places where we expect be bombarded with volatile, heightened drama, Room's one glaring deficiency is that the second half, once they've been rescued, feels a bit too implicit in nature. That may well be the result of being conditioned over the years to expect a character like Ma to give an impassioned monologue about the nature of her trauma. Again, it was the right choice but it does have the effect of making Room not quite have the "Best Picture" feel. I'm not actively rooting for the movie here, but it's one I can certainly accept.

Best Directing - Lenny Abrahamson
I've already covered how bold Abrahamson's understated handling of the story material impressed me. I haven't seen any of the other nominated films, but I can say that I have great admiration for the trust he placed in the story and in his cast. There was never a moment when I felt Abrahamson had intruded into the film to draw attention to himself, as often happens even with art house directors. I'm actively rooting for him to win this.

Achievement in Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Emma Donoghue
Donoghue adapted her own novel, so I have to assume that what made it to screen properly reflects its source material. I've not read that novel, but given that the story is really Jack's, the dialogue assigned to Ma is understandably subtle or coded, to protect him as best she could. The tonal approach that I admire so much about this film surely began with Donoghue's screenplay. I don't know her chances of winning the award, but I can understand her nomination and I'd be happy for Donoghue if she did.

Room entered my Flickchart at #235/1734