Held captive for 7 years in an enclosed space, a woman and her young son finally gain their freedom, allowing the boy to experience the outside world for the first time.
Acting
Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay are devastatingly real.
Direction
Abrahamson makes a shed feel infinite, then the world feel crushing.
Writing
Emma Donoghue's child's-eye adaptation is pure emotional sorcery.
Director
Lenny Abrahamson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jacob Tremblay was so young he didn't read the full script—Larson protected him from the darkest scenes.
The film deliberately never shows the abduction or escape aftermath, refusing the 'trauma porn' audiences expect.
US
