ROOM
Screenplay by Emma Donoghue
Based on “Room” by Emma Donoghue
FILM SYNOPSIS: A young woman who has been held in captivity in a small shed for seven years tries to make as normal a life as she can for her five-year-old son, Jack, who knows her only as “Ma.” When Ma and Jack escape their captor, Old Nick, they must cope with the outside world and forge relationships with Ma’s conflicted family.
Emma Donoghue, 46, released her first novel in 1994, but it wasn’t until 2010 when she released “Room” that should would get any sense of notoriety. Adapting the screenplay herself, she chose Lenny Abrhamason to direct the film after he wrote her a 10 page letter explaining why he should be the one to direct the film. Capturing the emotional turmoil of a mother raising a son in a shed, where they are held captive, the range of emotions that are put onto page and then onto screen are absolutely unfathomable. Steering away from the cheap and unoriginal story-lines of a court drama or captor-captive dynamic, the screenplay stays in the moment, delivering subtleties that help make this feel fresh and completely original, especially with Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay achieving the task of displaying these complicate emotions on screen.
What’s its competition? Having a Best Picture nomination would normally help propel a screenplay to rise somewhat in the ranks of its competitors, but unfortunately for “Room,” all but one in the category have a corresponding Best Picture nomination. Meaning “The Big Short,” “Brooklyn,” and “The Martian” are all competition. And even though “Carol” does not have the Best Picture nomination, pundits are even putting that in front of “Room.” So with that, Emma Donoghue does not have the best odds at winning. But as far as containing emotional complexity, it does have the upper hand.
Previous nominations? This is the first Academy Award nomination for Emma Donoghue.
“Room” (2015) Trailer:
// Produced by Ed Guiney //Directed by Lenny Abrahamson //
// Dated Viewed: Monday, January 18th, 2016 // ARCLIGHT SHERMAN OAKS // 36 films – 42 days //
