Available for streaming on Shudder, THE ROOM (2019) updates the monkey’s paw formula with a young couple that buys a new house only to discover a room that creates anything they want. The result is solid if a bit disjointed.
The story starts with Matt (Kevin Janssens) and Kate (Olga Kurylenko) moving into their new cottage in the country. Soon, Matt discovers a room that creates whatever he wants. He and Kate go on a creating bender that leaves them tired out and unsatisfied. The victim of two miscarriages, what Kate really wants is a baby…
This is where things get a bit disjointed, as Kate becomes obsessed with nurturing and protecting the child, especially when a vulnerability of anything created is revealed, and Matt becomes resentful and fearful of the child such that he becomes distant and a little deranged. The trio are set up for mutual resentment that culminates in Oedipal conflict.
The premise is very promising, and I loved the mechanism that powered the room. The mystery behind it is never revealed, but I didn’t mind that, as the mystery itself, expressed through the vast machinery, was fascinating enough. The story rolls out in a way that brings it to its inevitable conflict and conclusion. Overall, the movie is enjoyable, though it felt a little forced and disjointed for me, and I could never really empathize with the characters, which was either the acting, abrupt and jarring jump in character development, or just me, that I just couldn’t connect with these people for some reason.
Overall, this is another one I liked but didn’t love. I overall appreciated it, but it’s largely a slow-burn character-driven story with characters I had a hard time connecting with.
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