A24 A-to-Z: #27."Room" (2015)

Scene from Room

In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.

Review: "Room" is an Emotional Powerhouse Experience

Jacob Tremblay

Every now and then, there comes a child actor performance that features inexplicable weight. There are those like Tatum O'Neal in Paper Moon or Natalie Wood in Miracle on 34th Street where the actor, whether unknowingly or not, captures a certain vulnerability that transcends their singular digit age. It is something rare, and for which almost feels like a revelation each time. Joining the class with one of 2015's best performances by anyone of any age is Jacob Tremblay as Jack Newsome - a boy who has grown up exclusively in a shed that he calls "Room" with his mother Joy (Brie Larson). While the duo produce one of the most emotionally arresting performances of the year, director Lenny Abrahamson's Room is itself a fantastic achievement in capturing the complicated natures of parenting, naivety, and experiencing life for yourself. It's a film that is striking with intimacy and vulnerability the likes of which cinema haven't seen in some time.