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The Room (2003)

(2003, Rated R, Drama, Starring Tommy Wiseau)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    1.0

  • Common Sense says

    Cult-phenom amateur melodrama best left to adults.

Themes in this movie include:   family relationships, friendship, honesty, loss

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–17

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The movie obviously disapproves of Lisa's cheating on Johnny; most troubling is Johnny's fatal reaction to it. The message, if any, is that poor Johnny deserves better.

  • Role models:

    Johnny is described as kind, hardworking, enlightened, financially successful -- practically a perfect package (except for a weakness for alcohol when things don't go well). Yet betrayal still brings his life crashing down in the end (though bad acting does it from the beginning).
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    A fistfight. A climactic suicide via gun that shows spilled blood.

  • Sex:

    Some bare breasts and buns in lyrical, soft-focus sex scenes "enhance" the infidelity subplot.

  • Language:

    The f-word and s-word in emotional moments.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Social drinking and a bad bout of drunkenness on behalf of one character. Talk of illegal drugs.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Room (2003)

Parents need to know that this notorious midnight-movie sensation, though not gory or pornographic like some other "cult" pictures, has extramarital sex scenes showing plenty of bare skin. Characters swear and get drunk under extreme duress. Sexual infidelity is key to the story, and the plot, if it can be taken seriously, ends with a blameless character committing suicide, essentially "getting even" with people whose treacheries hurt him.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the appeal of this movie despite the bad dialogue and poor production values. What makes it so popular? Why are some movies known for being "audience participation films"?
  • Talk about "cult" movies in general -- you'll find lots of books in the library on the subject. Many films (not necessarily horrible ones) like Harold and Maude and even Disney's Fantasia weren't initially popular, and even got rejected by critics and viewers, only to be later crowned way-cool. Do you have any cherished favorites that the rest of the world hasn't appreciated yet?
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