Room to Move (2025)

2025 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW! 

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

After recently being diagnosed with autism, Jenn Freeman attempts to channel her inner conflict in order to create her first full-length dance piece. Dance is something near and dear to Jenn, and Room to Move invites viewers into her life and her passion for the artform as she attempts to use dance as a way to effectively express herself. 

There are moments in Room to Move in which the film feels more like a narrative than a documentary. Director Alexander Hammer creates immersive moments that are capable of captivating viewers like in a well-made drama. We’re pulled into the film as a result of vibrant visuals, cathartic sound, and well-choreographed movements on the part of Jenn. These aspects of Room to Move are the most compelling of the production, the glue that holds it together and appeals to viewers. 

Beyond the aspects of Room to Move that feel like a narrative, I found much of the film to be saturated with what felt like a series of complaints by Jenn. I am fully receptive to the fact that she recently received a diagnosis that alters the way others look at her and how she looks at herself, but the constant need to remind everyone of her diagnosis felt unnecessary and eventually became frustrating. Again, I certainly understand and appreciate how massively this news affects Jenn, but it seems that, at least in Room to Move, that this has become her entire personality. The redundant nature of the film gets to be too much, and by only the thirty-minute mark, I was tired of the film. 

There are moments of immense emotion that are capable of enveloping viewers throughout Room to Move, something that works to create some semblance of balance, juxtaposing the sometimes frustrating nature of the film’s redundancy. If it weren’t for the balance in this regard, I would have ultimately chalked Room to Move up as a miss, regardless of the brilliant technical aspects. 

There are certainly compelling emotional pieces to Room to Move, and the technical prowess of this team strengthens the film and often provides it with a larger-than-life feel that transcends the film’s entirety. The redundant nature of the film is what I so greatly struggled with, as it bogged down the film as a whole and made it challenging to focus (and at times, even care). Room to Move has a powerful message to present, and it gets its point across–but I feel a more succinct rendition of this documentary would have been more effective. 

Directed by Alexander Hammer. 

Starring Jenn Freeman, Alexander Hammer, Ian Stuart, Sonya Tayeh, Barry Gans, etc.

6.5/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE