Irish filmmaker Lenny Abrahamson has been doing solid work from the jump, but it’s the work of this decade that has really launched him. 2012’s “What Richard Did” was so good it got lead actor Jack Reynor noticed in a big way: Michael Bay tapped him for his next “Transformers” film. That quickly led to Michael Fassbender agreeing to star in the awesome, oddball, outsider-rock comedy “Frank” in which the actor appeared with his face covered by a papier-mâché head for 90% of the movie.
Next up for Abrahamson is “Room,” based on the bestselling 2010 novel by Emma Donoghue, who adapted the screenplay about a woman and her 5-year-old son, who live in confinement in a 10×10-foot single room. Escaping from the captivity in which they have been held for half a decade, the mother and child struggle to adjust to the strange, terrifying and wondrous world outside their one-room prison. Brie Larson demonstrated serious dramatic chops in “Short Term 12,” and we’ll assume those talents will be on display yet again.
The drama also stars Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers and William H Macy. Stephen Rennicks, who wrote the excellent music for “Frank” wrote the score for “Room” too. A24 already bought the picture long ago, but they’ll be debuting it at Toronto International Film festival this fall to show it off early. And if it connects in a big way don’t be surprised if the studio gives it a late season Oscar bow. Just days after the TIFF announcement, the first trailer for the film has arrived. Watch it below and let us know what you think.