Cream (2005)

Directed by: Kyle Henry | 75 minutes | drama | Actors: Cyndi Williams, Kenneth Wayne Bradley, Alexandra Kiester, Hannah Nicolas, Jacqui Cross, Marco Parella, Gretchen Krich, J. Shanon Weaver, Jessica Hedrick, Suzanne Savoy, Carlos Trevino, George Manly, Frank Barajas, David R. Jarrott, Juan Camargo

Opinions will be divided about ‘Room’. If you like films that undermine your expectations and raise a lot of questions, then this one is definitely right up your alley. Do you prefer an understandable, well-rounded story and did you find ‘Donnie Darko’ a bit on the muddled side? Then you could probably better spend these 75 minutes of your life. ‘Room’ kicks off as a straightforward drama about an exhausted woman. Such a late thirties/early forties who was once young, beautiful and full of dreams and who has since learned that life and survival are the same. Director Kyle Henry gives you a glimpse into the depressing daily routine of an overworked mother, beautifully rendered by the capable Cyndi Williams. So far nothing new under the sun, movies about brooding housewives abound.

Gradually, however, the story takes a strange turn. The visions play tricks on Julia more and more and a seemingly random search of buildings begins. Where is the mysterious room with the white windows located? Why is Julia so desperate for it? And what is the relevance of the strange figures Julia encounters during her quest? After 75 minutes of ‘Room’ you are actually ready for an answer, but the long-awaited Aha! moment does not come. Instead, Henry presents his viewers with a kaleidoscopic swirl of image and sound. Absolutely original and intriguing, but uh… that room? That remains a mystery, and that will give many film buffs the feeling that they have been thrown into the dust.

For other movie buffs, that’s when the fun begins. You can philosophize endlessly about the meaning of ‘Room’. Is it a film about the hopelessness of existence? About schizophrenia? About death? Does Henry want to share with the viewer the mental confusion of the main character? Or is ‘Room’ really not about anything at all? Shouldn’t you perhaps examine the film, but rather undergo it? Hard to say, but the fact is that ‘Room’ is captivating despite the haziness at times. This is partly due to the beautiful role of Williams, partly because of the astonishing images and partly because there is an instinctive kind of logic in the story. Whether you think ‘Room’ is a pretentious junk or a masterpiece of arthouse depends on your mood and your personal taste. So plenty of room for discussion.