We Need to Talk About Kevin
3.5/4
Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller
Rated R for Disturbing Violence and Behavior, Some Sexuality and Language
It seems that every few months or so, there's a mass shooting, and often they take place at schools. Virginia Tech, Columbine, Red Lake Massacre. Such events are incredibly disturbing to a person's psyche. Our instinct is to blame the parents. It's only natural; parents are in charge of their kids' upbringing and often we hear news of the killer(s) having drug addicted/mentally ill parents. But sometimes, no easy answers are available. Such is the case with "We Need to Talk About Kevin."
Eva Khatchadourian (Swinton) is a wife to Franklin (Reilly) and mother to Kevin (Rock Duer, Jasper Newell, and Miller). Trouble starts before Kevin is born. Eva doesn't seem to be too excited to become a mother, and after the child is born, he annoys her. Eva may not be the best mother, but Kevin seems to delight in torturing her. He is close (or pretends to be) to Franklin, but Eva is his play thing. He loves to scare her, toy with her and push her to the brink of madness. When he is in high school, he shoots a number of his fellow students with his bow and arrow. The film is about Eva's story before and after the shooting.
Tilda Swinton is an amazing actress. Not only is she unbelievably talented, she is also fearless in the roles that she chooses and what she does to prepare for them. She displayed her post-birth body in the nude in "The War Zone," and played a man who changes into a woman in Sally Potter's "Orlando." Here is another notch on her belt of fearless and demanding roles, one that as usual, she hits right out of the park. Eva is a human being; flawed, but doing her best. From the moment he is born, Kevin drives her nuts. As a baby, he cries so much around her that she stops by an operating jackhammer to drown out the noise. He doesn't talk to Eva or participate in games she tries to play with him. And when he grows up, he amuses himself by wrecking her things and pushing her to the limit.
There are other performers, but this is Swinton's show. John C. Reilly is effective, but he's too big of a name for this kind of a role. An unknown would have been able to play the part better. Duer, Newell and especially Miller are effective as Kevin. Miller in particular is chilling; with his squinty eyes and calm voice, he radiates evil and will make your blood turn cold.
Director Lynne Ramsay has elected to use a non-linear method for telling the story. At times, there seems to be a method to this madness, but other times, there isn't. That being said, this film is compulsively watchable. You may want to turn away or cover your eyes, but you can't. Ramsay is able to generate a lot of tension with odd shots and dissonant noises. This is one disturbing film.
When it comes to disturbing movies starring Tilda Swinton, comparisons to "The War Zone" are going to pop up. Surprisingly, it's an apt comparison. Both confront difficult family matters head on, but while "Kevin" may have more gut-wrenching moments, "The War Zone" is more intelligent, better constructed and deeper. "Kevin" is abstract, but "The War Zone" is more upfront while being abstract at the same time. Not to be too harsh on this film, however, it's still very good.
Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller
Rated R for Disturbing Violence and Behavior, Some Sexuality and Language
It seems that every few months or so, there's a mass shooting, and often they take place at schools. Virginia Tech, Columbine, Red Lake Massacre. Such events are incredibly disturbing to a person's psyche. Our instinct is to blame the parents. It's only natural; parents are in charge of their kids' upbringing and often we hear news of the killer(s) having drug addicted/mentally ill parents. But sometimes, no easy answers are available. Such is the case with "We Need to Talk About Kevin."
Eva Khatchadourian (Swinton) is a wife to Franklin (Reilly) and mother to Kevin (Rock Duer, Jasper Newell, and Miller). Trouble starts before Kevin is born. Eva doesn't seem to be too excited to become a mother, and after the child is born, he annoys her. Eva may not be the best mother, but Kevin seems to delight in torturing her. He is close (or pretends to be) to Franklin, but Eva is his play thing. He loves to scare her, toy with her and push her to the brink of madness. When he is in high school, he shoots a number of his fellow students with his bow and arrow. The film is about Eva's story before and after the shooting.
Tilda Swinton is an amazing actress. Not only is she unbelievably talented, she is also fearless in the roles that she chooses and what she does to prepare for them. She displayed her post-birth body in the nude in "The War Zone," and played a man who changes into a woman in Sally Potter's "Orlando." Here is another notch on her belt of fearless and demanding roles, one that as usual, she hits right out of the park. Eva is a human being; flawed, but doing her best. From the moment he is born, Kevin drives her nuts. As a baby, he cries so much around her that she stops by an operating jackhammer to drown out the noise. He doesn't talk to Eva or participate in games she tries to play with him. And when he grows up, he amuses himself by wrecking her things and pushing her to the limit.
There are other performers, but this is Swinton's show. John C. Reilly is effective, but he's too big of a name for this kind of a role. An unknown would have been able to play the part better. Duer, Newell and especially Miller are effective as Kevin. Miller in particular is chilling; with his squinty eyes and calm voice, he radiates evil and will make your blood turn cold.
Director Lynne Ramsay has elected to use a non-linear method for telling the story. At times, there seems to be a method to this madness, but other times, there isn't. That being said, this film is compulsively watchable. You may want to turn away or cover your eyes, but you can't. Ramsay is able to generate a lot of tension with odd shots and dissonant noises. This is one disturbing film.
When it comes to disturbing movies starring Tilda Swinton, comparisons to "The War Zone" are going to pop up. Surprisingly, it's an apt comparison. Both confront difficult family matters head on, but while "Kevin" may have more gut-wrenching moments, "The War Zone" is more intelligent, better constructed and deeper. "Kevin" is abstract, but "The War Zone" is more upfront while being abstract at the same time. Not to be too harsh on this film, however, it's still very good.
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