Watch The Playroom

The Playroom is a 2012 drama film directed by Julia Dyer and written by her sister, Gretchen Dyer. The movie is set in the 1970s and follows the four children of a dysfunctional family - Magnus, Donna, Janie, and Christopher - as they spend an evening in their parents' attic playroom while their parents entertain guests downstairs. The movie opens with a voiceover from Magnus, the eldest sibling, who expresses his frustration and disappointment with his parents' behavior. Magnus is a rebellious teenager who spends most of his time brooding in his bedroom, while his younger siblings play together in the attic. Donna, the second eldest, is a tomboy who dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. Janie, the middle child, is an imaginative girl who creates elaborate stories and dress-up games for her siblings. Christopher, the youngest, is a sweet but shy boy who is often overshadowed by his siblings' larger-than-life personalities.

As the children play in the attic, they start to reveal the secrets and struggles of their family. Their parents, Martin and Donna Sr., are portrayed as neglectful and self-involved. Martin, a successful businessman, is portrayed as an alcoholic who is more interested in impressing his guests than spending time with his children. Donna Sr., a former beauty queen, is portrayed as a shallow and unhappy woman who is more concerned with her appearance than her children's well-being.

Throughout the film, the children's play becomes increasingly dark and disturbing as they act out scenes of violence and abuse. The playroom serves as a metaphor for the dysfunctional family's inner turmoil, as the children's innocent games become twisted and destructive.

The film's cinematography is highly stylized, with scenes shot through kaleidoscopic lenses and filtered with bright, colorful lights. This emphasizes the surreal and dream-like quality of the children's play, as well as the distorted reality of their family life.

The acting in The Playroom is exceptional, with standout performances from the four child actors as well as Jonathan R. Freeman and Lydia Mackay, who play the parents. The film's script is poignant and thought-provoking, exploring themes of family dysfunction, childhood trauma, and the power of imagination.

Overall, The Playroom is a powerful and haunting film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. It's a reminder of the fragility of childhood innocence and the lasting impact of a dysfunctional family dynamic.

The Playroom is a 2013 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.3 and a MetaScore of 59.