A film with impressive reviews from both critics and audiences is now streaming on Netflix for UK subscribers. and it is based on a book that has been hailed as a “masterpiece.” It is among several titles that have been added to Netflix over the course of October, including intense war films and stunning period dramas. The movie in question, which won its lead actress an Oscar after its release, has an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 93% with excellent reviews across the board.
Room was released in 2015 and tells a harrowing yet inspiring story that touched audiences across the globe. Starring Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay in stand-out roles, the movie tells the story of a woman who spends years imprisoned by a captor who sexually assaults her, resulting in her having a baby. She spends the next few years looking after the little boy, who grows up believing the world only exists within the four walls where he spends his days with his mother. When the boy reaches a certain age, she decides it’s a good time to plan an escape.
They eventually succeed in escaping, and they must both adjust to their new lives after years of never having been outside. Room was released five years after the novel of the same name was published in 2010.
The book, written by Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue, received rave reviews from readers. One GoodReads user wrote: “This Man Booker prize shortlisted novel is a masterpiece as it ultimately portrays the power of maternal love under the most dire conditions. Recommended reading for all, just on the basis that there’s hardly anything out there like this.”
Meanwhile, the film received just as much praise. On Rotten Tomatoes, one viewer said: “A brilliant movie about a mother and son finding strength in each other. Brie Larson gives one of the best performances of the year and Jacob Tremblay absolutely kills it as Jack by giving easily one of the greatest child performances I’ve ever seen.”
Another wrote: “Heartbreaking, frustrating story that focuses on the mother-son relationship, not on the criminal, and also the fact that life is what we know.”
A third shared: “Though deeply harrowing, the story’s centering on the utterly authentic mother-son relationship of Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, elevates it to a profound and ultimately uplifting exploration of what humans can endure and survive in the face of the worst possible circumstances, and what makes survival and recovery possible.”
Other recent additions to Netflix include Employee of the Month (2006), The Eye (2008) and Mean Girls (2024).