WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

Photos provided by Oscilloscope Pictures 



Tilda Swinton reflects back on her parenting skills and troublesome son in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.

Swinton is Eva, a mother who is haunted by her past. She’s antagonized by neighbors and random strangers for something that has occurred in her life, something that has affected the community at large.

She currently resides alone, lives a sheltered life, and has taken a data entry position with a local small business. Through flashbacks, it’s revealed that Eva was previously married with a strange, unique and disturbed son named Kevin.



WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is part drama, part thriller and part horror film. That it manages to effectively be all three is a tribute to writer-director Lynne Ramsay’s tackling of the issues surrounding Kevin’s condition, and equally important how she elects to tell Eva’s story.

The film is set in present time, but utilizes flashbacks to reveal the nature of Eva and Kevin’s bitter and confrontational relationship. This technique helps to build intrigue and mystery into a haunting film about a disturbed child, his tormented mother and the underlying factors that contribute to a young one’s actions.

Although there may be two sides to every coin, there seems to be even more sides to tackle when examining Kevin, Eva and the influences that impact each of their lives. Kevin is not your average child, demanding extra special attention, and yet Eva’s personality is cool and distant when warm and nurturing would be more beneficial, and Kevin’s father Franklin, played by John C. Reilly, is too cavalier about his son’s condition to be constructive in Kevin’s development.

Along with the disturbing nature of the subject, Ramsay employs striking and suggestive visuals that create an atmosphere of terror.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN could have turned into just a stylized horror film if it weren’t for the performances, and Tilda Swinton provides her best to date. Every emotion is poured out through Swinton’s Eva, and the character actor delivers each convincingly, formulating a well-rounded character. Ezra Miller as teenage Kevin is also terrific, delivering a frightening performance with careful precision.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN is not an easy film to categorize, or one to forget.

Grade: A-