This preggie woman is slow on watching new releases, since I’m careful to go out anywhere. But some great 2015 movies still really stayed in mind. Thinking that Room (2015) has a special place in me and I am this close to post my favorite top 10 list from last year, I think I should at least feature the movie. Based on a novel that was inspired by true events, tells a story about a boy, Jack (Jacob Tremblay) and his mother, Joy (Brie Larson) held captive in one room for seven years. Room received three Oscar nominations including Best Picture and won for Best Actress (Brie Larson).
What made me love Room was the connection between mother and son despite their limited way of life and the simplicity, from the angle of the story of two human kept in one room for years to the perspective of a child who only see the world from a window showing a sky of clouds. Tremblay as the son also performed really natural and amazing given that he’s still 10 years old. His chemistry with Larson was deep as if like natural mother and son.
But, what to learn from this movie? Here’s what I can sow (spoilers may occur) :
1. A child is a blank canvas that can absorb and learn only from the way he is raised and given to. Used to just live in a limited space from born won’t give him any idea what the world has, how much exciting and horror outside is he won’t know. He just cherish his closeness with his mother and see the world through a box called TV.
2. Mother is a child’s world. In this movie’s case, Jack becomes a kid who respects and loves, and depends to his mother because she’s all he have. Luckily, Joy, his mother, is a patient and dedicated mother despite how young her age are (kidnapped since teenager). Then makes Jack to be a civilized kid. Joy knows how to handle Jack when he’s not behaving well or even know how to cheer him.
3. Motherhood comes natural. Though we did not see Jack from born, thinking that a teenager (Joy) have a kid, must’ve has its own phase. She could have been rejecting the kid since he’s conceived from her kidnapper, but what we see is that Joy is being caring and loving Jack. Perhaps because she also needed him to stay ‘alive’ over the years. Perhaps she’s matured faster over the years. But it makes motherhood magnified and showing just how natural it is.
4. You don’t need much fuss or materials to bond with your child. There’s a difference when they are living in the room and when they are already out. Once Jack said that he miss being with his mother in the room, than when they are out because Joy is not present and dealing with other things. Joy might have issues to deal with, but it is also a sign that we often distracted with other things in this world that makes us unconnected with people we care.
5. Be patient and thoughtful with your kid. What amazed me in Room is how Joy can really handle Jack well, when she can easily be mad with the condition. Perhaps because they aren’t exactly in the most horrifying condition considering they are given food and place to sleep, but she can manage it quite good. Handling when Jack is stubborn or annoying is simply with not responding him, not with anger or exaggerated emotions.
6. You need to give trust to your kid. Some parents will see kids as kids, but at some point they need to be trusted to handle things alone. In terms of Room, Joy trust Jack to send ‘message’ that they are being kidnapped. Perhaps Joy didn’t have any other choice and it’s a risky plan, but it wouldn’t happen if Joy thinks Jack couldn’t do it. They probably would have a different life other way.
7. The world is a scary and beautiful place at the same time. There’s a certain comfort being in a closed space. You don’t have to see or experience all the horrifying things in this world. But you also couldn’t see and experience all the beautiful things either. The world also can be overwhelming, which we can see through Jack’s angle coming out from the room.
8. We may took for granted over the things we own and have. Looking at what Jack and Joy living in the limited space and condition, and just be happy with what they have, made me think about how we sometimes took for granted of what we have and what we can do in our lives. Sure, Joy maybe try to be happy with her condition for survival cause, but seeing them together like that reminded me that happiness sometimes is just simple.
Score :
What can you learn from the movie Room? Any thoughts?