History YMMV / Room

--->'''Nancy:''' *[[TearsOfJoy chokes a little]]*
* {{Tearjerker}}: Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay's performances lead to a lot of these. Some notable ones:
** Joy fighting with [[spoiler:her mother]] about what happened to her.
--->[[spoiler:I'm sorry that I'm not "nice" anymore, but you know what? Maybe if your voice, saying, "Be nice!" hadn't been in my head, then maybe I wouldn't have helped the guy with the [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] sick dog!]]
** Joy telling Jack the truth about the world and why they live in Room, and Jack rejecting it.
--->'''Joy:''' Old Nick stole me.
--->'''Jack:''' I want a different story!
--->'''Joy:''' No, this is the story that you get!
** Joy [[spoiler:faking Jack's death to fool Old Nick]]. In the sense that she's letting go of her son and sending him into a dangerous enterprise, her grief is ''very'' real.
** Joy's interview where she is asked by the news reporter if having Old Nick send Jack away would have been better for him. The utter conflict between wanting to have her beloved son be close to her, yet also wanting to do what's best for him and having the idea that she might have failed is crushing.
** Joy's dad Robert bursts into tears the second he sees Joy for the first time in seven years.

* TearJerker: It's eventually revealed that Ma had another child before Jack in Room. However, the daughter came out dead with the cord wrapped around her neck. Years after the fact, Ma is shown to still be haunted by it.

* WhatAnIdiot: Paul, Jack’s uncle, is tasked with taking him to his first real trip anywhere besides the mental facility — to the museum with his cousin. When Jack joins them, they decide they need to go the mall for an errand — picking up a gift for a kid’s birthday party. At the mall. They already know that it’s going to be a struggle with Jack’s lack of understanding of social conventions and no experience with crowds. Needless to say it’s a disaster; Jack has no idea how to behave in a store, touches his cousin in an inappropriate place, and even accidentally shoplifts. They don’t make it to the museum.

* WhatAnIdiot: [[HateSink The interviewer]] practically grilling Joy if she A) contemplated suicide and B) demanding to know why she didn't give Jack away when he was a baby, [[SarcasmMode because she could definitely trust old Nick to take him somewhere safe]].

** Jack's language and by extension the book's style. The general camps are, Jack's one of the more realistic depictions of a five-year-old, he's too sophisticated for a five-year-old, ''way'' too cutesy for a five-year-old, especially for one who's stuck in a room with his mother who also repeatedly corrects his grammar, or Jack's too inconsistent between sophisticated and cutesy.

** Jack’s language and by extension the book’s style. Either Jack is one of the more realistic depictions of a five-year-old, or he’s too sophisticated for a five-year-old, too cutesy for a five-year-old or just inconsistent between sophisticated and cutesy. Especially when he watches as much TV as he does, parrots what he hears as a game, and Ma, who corrects his grammar as much as she does.
** The SliceOfLife style of the book. Necessary? Or needless padding. It doesn’t help that Jack delves into TooMuchInformation (telling the reader which breast he prefers when breastfeeding, what position his penis is in in the morning).

* HilariousInHindsight:
** One of Brie Larson's [[Film/FreeFire2017 next big roles]] after this one has ''everyone'' trapped in a room together for most of the movie, [[spoiler:and only she walks out alive.]]
** Joy and Jack later ended up on opposite sides of the notorious Marvel vs. DC FandomRivalry, Larson as [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Captain Marvel]] and Tremblay as [[WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn Damien Wayne]].

** ''Room'' won an Oscar for Best Actress, twelve years after an indie filmmaker named Creator/TommyWiseau released his magnum opus ''Film/TheRoom'', which he was sure was going to win multiple Oscars.

* ItWasHisSled: When it first came out, the novel did kind of want people to assume it was solely about Ma and Jack's escape. But due to reviews and [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil movie trailers]] not even trying to hide it, everyone knows half the novel focuses on them adjusting to the outside world.

* SeparatedByACommonLanguage: Author Emma Donoghue was born in Ireland and is a long-time resident of Canada. ''Room'' is set in an unnamed town in America. Sometimes the language barrier becomes apparent (notably in the book's frequent use of the phrase "in hospital"--the American usage would be "in a hospital" or "at the hospital"--but also in some the slang: "any joy?" would more likely be "any luck?" in American English.)

* AwardSnub: Meanwhile, in the Oscars, Tremblay didn't get a nomination for anything.

** Jack’s language and by extension the book’s style. Either Jack is one of the more realistic depictions of a five-year-old, or he’s too sophisticated for a five-year-old, too cutesy for a five-year-old or just inconsistent between sophisticated and cutesy. Especially when he watches as much TV as he does, parrot what he hears as a game, and Ma, who corrects his grammar as much as she does.

* CompleteMonster: "Old Nick"--the [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname otherwise-unnamed]] man who garners his appropriate title from a title of Satan--kidnaps and locks away a young woman in the titular “Room,” using the woman as a means of pleasure by raping her almost every night on end for seven years. Old Nick accidentally impregnates Ma and forces her to [[ChildByRape give birth]] right in front of him without the use of painkillers or any medical equipment whatsoever, leading to the baby's death. Once Ma gives birth to Jack, the young narrator of the novel, Nick keeps them both as his prisoners with threats to leave them both to starve to death if they ever try and escape, making good on his threats by cutting the power and heat to the Room after Ma angers him enough time’s about their needs and keeping Jack safe when he got overly curious.

* SeparatedByACommonLanguage: Author Emma Donoghue was born in Ireland and is a long-time resident of Canada. ''Room'' is set in an unnamed town in America. Sometimes the language barrier becomes apparent (notably in the book's frequent use of the phrase "in hospital." The American usage would be "in a hospital" or "at the hospital.")

* FridgeBrilliance: Although he's five years old, Jack's mother continues to breastfeed him the entire time they're in Room. Breastfeeding is a natural method of contraception, as it stops menstruation. By refusing to wean Jack, Ma is ensuring that she won't conceive another child by her rapist.
** Though there is a brief mention early in the book of Ma taking her pill from "the silver pack that has twenty-eight little spaceships", which could mean that Old Nick got hold of the contraceptive pill for her after Jack was born. In that case, breastfeeding would be more likely intended to augment their food supplies, which are pretty minimal.
* FridgeHorror: [[JerkassWoobie Jack's grandpa's]] attitude is this when you stop to consider that in many real-life kidnapping cases, the parents are almost ''always'' considered the prime suspect. So all that plus the trauma of not knowing if [[AdultFear your child is even alive]] and then finding out she is but the knowledge of the horror she's been through... it gives you a glimpse of the absolute '''hell''' this man's life has been! While his [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild cold dismissal of Jack]] is still inexcusable and unreasonable (poor thing didn't ''ask'' for any of this), it certainly might ''explain'' some things.

** The SliceOfLife style of the book. Necessary? Or needless padding. It doesn’t help that Jack delves into TooMuchInformation (telling the reader which breast he prefers when breastfeeding).

** Jack’s language and by extension the book’s style. Either Jack is one of the more realistic depictions of a five-year-old, or he’s too sophisticated for a five-year-old, too cutesy for a five-year-old or just inconsistent between sophisticated and cutesy. Espeically when he watches as much TV as he does, parrot what he hears as a game, and Ma, who corrects his grammar as much as she does.

* CompleteMonster: "Old Nick"--the [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname otherwise-unnamed]] man who garners his appropriate title from a title of Satan--kidnaps and locks away a young woman in the titular “Room,” using the woman as a means of pleasure by raping her almost every night on end for seven years. Old Nick accidentally impregnates Ma and forces her to [[ChildByRape give birth]] right in front of him without the use of painkillers or any medical equipment whatsoever, leading to the baby's death. Once Ma gives birth to Jack, the young narrator of the novel, Nick keeps them both as his prisoners with threats to leave them both to starve to death if they ever try and escape, acting good on his threats by cutting the power and heat to the Room once Jack obliviously wanders outside.

* ViewersAreGeniuses: If you didn't read the book and missed what was happening in the two discreetly-filmed breastfeeding scenes early in the film, you are likely going to be utterly mystified when Jack asks "Can I?" and reaches over and tugs on the front of Ma's shirt, only to be denied.

* FridgeHorror: [[JerkassWoobie Jack's grandpa's]] attitude is this when you stop to consider that in many real-life kidnapping cases, the parents are almost ''always'' considered the prime suspect. So all that plus the trauma of not knowing if [[AdultFear your child is even alive]] and then finding out she is but the knowledge of the horror she's been through... it gives you a glimpse of the absolute '''hell''' this man's life has been! While his [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild cold dismissal of Jack]] is still inexcusable and unreasonable (poor thing didn't ''ask'' for any of this). It certainly might ''explain'' some things.

* TearJerker: It's eventually revealed that Ma had another child before Jack in Room. However, the daughter came out dead with the cord wrapped around her neck. Years after the fact Ma is shown to still be haunted by it.

** Ma returning home from the hospital and thanking Jack [[ItMakesSenseInContext for giving her his strength]]
-->'''Joy:''' You saved me... again.

** [[spoiler: Jack making a friend his age, Aaron.]]
** A little moment between Jack and his grandma after [[spoiler: his haircut]].
-->'''Jack:''' I love you, Grandma.
-->'''Nancy:''' *[[TearsOfJoy chokes a little]]*
* HilariousInHindsight:
** ''Room'' won an Oscar for Best Actress, twelve years after an indie filmmaker named Tommy Wiseau released his magnum opus ''Film/TheRoom'', which he was sure was going to win multiple Oscars.

** Joy fighting with [[spoiler: her mother]] about what happened to her.
-->[[spoiler: I'm sorry that I'm not "nice" anymore, but you know what? Maybe if your voice, saying, "Be nice!" hadn't been in my head, then maybe I wouldn't have helped the guy with the [[PrecisionFStrike fucking]] sick dog!]]

-->'''Joy:''' Old Nick stole me.
-->'''Jack:''' I want a different story!
-->'''Joy:''' No, this is the story that you get!

** Jack’s language and by extension the book’s style. Either Jack is one of the more realistic depictions of a five-year-old, or he’s too sophisticated for a five-year-old, too cutesy for a five-year-old or just inconsistent between sophisticated and cutesy.

* BrokenBase: Jack’s language (and by extension the style of the book). There are several camps of response. One; Jack’s one of the better depictions of a child in literature. Or two; Jack’s too sophisticated for a child his age. Or three; Jack’s too juvenile and cutesy for a child who grew up around an adult who constantly corrects his vocabulary at that, and watches as much TV as he does. Or four; he’s inconsistent between two and three.

* FridgeHorror: [[JerkassWoobie Jack's grandpa's]] attitude is this when you stop to consider that in many real-life kidnapping cases, the parents are almost ''always'' considered the prime suspect. So all that plus the trauma of not knowing if [[AdultFear your child is even alive]] and then finding out she is but the knowing of the horror she's been through... it gives you a glimpse of the absolute '''hell''' this man's life has been! While his [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild cold dismissal of Jack]] is still inexcusable and unreasonable (poor thing didn't ''ask'' for any of this). It certainly might ''explain'' some things.

** [[CoolOldGuy Leo]] is just a walking CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming given his patience and gentleness with Jack and his general easygoing nature. Suffice to say that the movie and the book would've been a lot ''heavier'' without him in it.

* BrokenBase: Jack’s language (and by extension the style of the book). There are several camps of response. In one Jack’s one of the better depictions of a child in literature. Or two; Jack’s too sophisticated for a child his age. Or three; Jack’s too juvenile and cutsey for a child who grew up around an adult and watches as much TV as he does. Or four; he’s inconstant between two and three.

* FridgeHorror: [[JerkassWoobie Jack's grandpa's]] attitude is this when you stop to consider that in many real life kidnapping cases, the parents are almost ''always'' considered the prime suspect. So all that plus the trauma of not knowing if [[AdultFear your child is even alive]] and then finding out she is but the knowing of the horror she's been through... it gives you a glimpse of the absolute '''hell''' this man's life has been! While his [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild cold dismissal of Jack]] is still inexcusable and unreasonable (poor thing didn't ''ask'' for any of this). It certainly might ''explain'' some things.

* ViewersAreGeniuses: If you didn't read the book, and missed what was happening in the the two discreetly-filmed breastfeeding scenes early in the film, you are likely going to be utterly mystified when Jack asks "Can I?" and reaches over and tugs on the front of Ma's shirt, only to be denied.