We Need to Talk About Kevin (2012)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mark H

  
  We Need to Talk about Kevin is a study of the very nature of evil. A dissertation, if you will, on the factors that develop the personality of a human being. Can someone be born bad or is it learned? At the center is Tilda Swinton's performance. We feel sympathy, then outrage. At… More
  We Need to Talk about Kevin is a study of the very nature of evil. A dissertation, if you will, on the factors that develop the personality of a human being. Can someone be born bad or is it learned? At the center is Tilda Swinton's performance. We feel sympathy, then outrage. At times we want to rebuke her but then we forgive her. The justification for these emotions is often brutally vague, even to ourselves. Yes, director Lynne Ramsey raises more questions than she answers, but that's the point. This is a drama ripe for discussion without clear cut solutions. She presents an interesting argument. The subject is sure to provoke a reaction and it's definitely one worth "talking about".

• Josh M

  
  We Need to Talk... is an over the top 'bad seed' horror movie masquerading as a art house indy about a social problem. It's consistenly absorbing, because of director Lynne Ramsay's penchant for original, mezmerizing images and because of its grotesque,… More
  We Need to Talk... is an over the top 'bad seed' horror movie masquerading as a art house indy about a social problem. It's consistenly absorbing, because of director Lynne Ramsay's penchant for original, mezmerizing images and because of its grotesque, melodramatic, incredible plot twists. It's about a travel writing mom and her photographer husband who have raised a problem child from infancy. Even as a baby this malevolant demon manipulates his mom by willfully defying potty training. From then on, he pulls off one heinous scheme after another, and Eva goes more deeply into blaming herself and trying to rectify the unrectifiable, since Kevin is the spawn of Satan.The film, jumps around in time from Eva's happy pre-motherhood days as a travel writer writhing in tomatoes at the Tomatino in Spain to the final visit in prison after Kevin's final act of horror. It's told completely through Eva's point of view, and she is probably an unrealiable narrator, who can't get her head out of her belly button. So it's unclear whether we are every seeing objective truth or a woman's internal demons making up stories. Eva, played by a morose Tilda Swinton is the only character with identifiable human behaviour in the film. She is excellent, but everyone else gets to play one dimensional archetypes. The amazing three young actors who play the title character at different ages are terrific, especially the teenaged Ezra Miller, but they are playing a soulless monster, Hannibal Lecter without the empathy. John C. Reilly, welcome in any film, is miscast, and has no help from Ramsay and the script by playing a clueless doofus dad, who is manipulated totally by his evil son, and has zero chemistry with Swinton.We Need to Talk... could have been an interesting meditation on nature vs. nurture, but the Kevin character is given no redeemable qualities except intelligence, and Eva seems like a perfectly well intentioned, averagely flawed mother, certainly not deserving of her, horrible, Greek tragedy fate. If the film had made the question of Eva's culpability in engendering Kevin's evil more ambiguous, the film would have been vastly more interesting.That said, it's grim and depressing but never boring, and full of entertaining scenes of human coldness and cruelty. If that doesn't turn you off, rent it and have a horrible/fun time.

• Tracy K

  
  More than anything, this movie deserves an Oscar nomination for the colour red in the category of Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The film's dripping with subtle placements of red, whether in the form of paint, clothing or household furnishings. And yet there's very little… More
  More than anything, this movie deserves an Oscar nomination for the colour red in the category of Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The film's dripping with subtle placements of red, whether in the form of paint, clothing or household furnishings. And yet there's very little actual blood on display. This conceit operates as a symbolic reflection of the film's underlying sense of dread and danger, which is rarely addressed on the surface but lurks just out of range, popping up in random and unexpected ways that hint at the bloodshed beneath but never confront it directly...until we reach the inevitable climax. The tension is often quite awful; Tilda Swinton gives an admirable performance portraying a character who we may blame after the fact for failing to act on her suspicions - all of which, of course, prove justified - but who has had to carry the almost unbearable weight of having to confront a terrible truth about her own child. A difficult film which never does itself the disservice of pretending to have all the answers.

• Cameron S

  
  Beautiful and tense. 'We need to talk about Kevin is a seamless bled of drama and Horror with great acting, especially from the lead Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller who plays her deranged son Kevin. This film is outstanding for both the eyes and the mind, and is the second best… More
  Beautiful and tense. 'We need to talk about Kevin is a seamless bled of drama and Horror with great acting, especially from the lead Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller who plays her deranged son Kevin. This film is outstanding for both the eyes and the mind, and is the second best film about a teenage killing spree. I felt like hitting play once it had finished. Watch it.

• Joseph M

  
  Tense, suspenseful psychological thriller. We Need to to Talk about Kevin will linger over you for days on end Kevin ( Erza Miller) is terrifying from the day he is born. Brilliant Acting from Tilda Swinton, Erza Miller and John C Reilly and a Brilliant Directing from Lynne Ramsay.… More
  Tense, suspenseful psychological thriller. We Need to to Talk about Kevin will linger over you for days on end Kevin ( Erza Miller) is terrifying from the day he is born. Brilliant Acting from Tilda Swinton, Erza Miller and John C Reilly and a Brilliant Directing from Lynne Ramsay. The Film does lack Character Study and is it's biggest Downfall. We Need To Talk About Kevin is a Brilliant Haunting Drama.

• Stella D

  
  a tough film to watch, the dominant thread being a terrific performance by tilda swinton as the guilt ridden mother of sociopathic kevin. the flashback structure is initially a little confusing but the film soon becomes a train wreck from which one cannot look away. i'm a fan… More
  a tough film to watch, the dominant thread being a terrific performance by tilda swinton as the guilt ridden mother of sociopathic kevin. the flashback structure is initially a little confusing but the film soon becomes a train wreck from which one cannot look away. i'm a fan of lynne ramsay's work and my major problem with the film is that kevin is just too evil. like 'the bad seed', the effect is at times hilarious, intentional or not

• Raymond W

  
  Tilda Swinton delivers a tour-de-force performance as a mother dealing with her first-born, cruel son. We Need to Talk About Kevin is a blend of mystery, drama, and horror, and the use of symbolism adds a great effect. We see the film through the eyes of Eva (Tilda Swinton). It… More
  Tilda Swinton delivers a tour-de-force performance as a mother dealing with her first-born, cruel son. We Need to Talk About Kevin is a blend of mystery, drama, and horror, and the use of symbolism adds a great effect. We see the film through the eyes of Eva (Tilda Swinton). It cuts back and forth in time without knowing what present or past as the characters views and reflects on the events in one jumbled mess. This method is effective in keeping the climax secret from the audience, but in some ways, it was given away too early/obviously and I was just waiting for it to come up and show us exactly what happened. I was surprised with the outcome even so, which was great because it kept me interested and feeling for the characters. We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of the better films of the year, but it's a hard watch, and definitely not for kids. Special mention to Ezra Miller who was also really fantastic.

• Luke B

  
  They certainly did need to talk about Kevin. I'm fine with difficult subject matter and ambiguous storytelling. But this film just seemed lazy in its search for answers. Tilda Swinton plays a mother that is haunted by something in her past. Her son is in jail, the whole town… More
  They certainly did need to talk about Kevin. I'm fine with difficult subject matter and ambiguous storytelling. But this film just seemed lazy in its search for answers. Tilda Swinton plays a mother that is haunted by something in her past. Her son is in jail, the whole town hates her, and her husband is no longer around. No prizes for guessing what is going on here. She tries to live a normal life but the town just wont forget the past. She looks at her past to see how her son turned into such a monster. The film angered me by dong nothing of note. Swinton is a terrible mother, as she never seeks help for her son. I've seen kids misbehave, but this film takes it so far. It comes across as some cheap Hollywood horror film. There is no way a sane woman wouldn't reach out or get out. Even when her daughter's safety is put at risk, she does nothing. Then we have Reilly as the father. He believes nothing his wife says, which makes me question why they are married in the first place. Even when Kevin acts out in front of him he he does nothing. Swinton also lives in the worst town in the world. The people are so horrid, you'd probably want to massacre their offspring yourself. I understand the anger, but this entire town is filled with vicious human beings. I was able to connect with one character in this entire film, the boy in the wheelchair. Other than that, you have a film of unbelievable, stupid, and cruel people. The acting is great, and it's shot beautifully. I've already read up about the book which seems more cohesive, and the narrative obviously works better than it does in this film.

• Sophie B

  
  A very interesting and questioning piece which reveals a little more each shot. Although slow, it keeps you guessing (if you haven't read the book) what has/is going to happen. The use of the colour red is slightly over the top but still very important, as if Eva's life has… More
  A very interesting and questioning piece which reveals a little more each shot. Although slow, it keeps you guessing (if you haven't read the book) what has/is going to happen. The use of the colour red is slightly over the top but still very important, as if Eva's life has been giving her little hints as to what is in store for her. Brilliant performances from Swinton, Miller and Newell. It really makes you feel sorry for Eva, as everyone is on her case and not giving her time to grieve, as if she hasn't lost anything herself which is heartbreaking. A must watch.

• Mark W

  
  Scottish director Lynne Ramsay made her debut with the working class Glaswegian drama "Ratcatcher" in 1999. It was seen as an artistic breakthrough for independent cinema in Scotland but sadly it didn't really catch on. She followed it up with "Morven Caller"… More
  Scottish director Lynne Ramsay made her debut with the working class Glaswegian drama "Ratcatcher" in 1999. It was seen as an artistic breakthrough for independent cinema in Scotland but sadly it didn't really catch on. She followed it up with "Morven Caller" in 2002 but no-one came calling. Then she was basically shafted for the duties on "The Lovely Bones" in 2009 - the studio preferring a more "experienced" director in Peter Jackson. Not to worry though as Ramsay has finally got us talking again. Based on the novel by Lionel Shriver, this tells the story of Eva (Tilda Swinton), the mother of a teenager (Ezra Miller) who careers off the rails, and her struggle to cope with the aftermath of his devastating actions, reflecting on the boy's childhood and the breakdown of her relationship with both him and her absent husband (John C. Reilly). No less a horror than say, "The Omen" in it's depiction of a troubled and dangerous child. But done in such an elusive and dramatic style that it falls into another genre altogether. If a horror director had gotten their hands on this material it would probably have been a slasher movie, but Ramsay brings dramatic weight. The story progresses with a certain distance from the audience, painting the characters in such a fragmented and elusive light, making us uncertain of the outcome. When the unravelling occurs it's no less effective whether you predicted the outcome or not but that's thanks in large to Ramsay's hypnotic direction and intense performances from her actors. Ezra Miller channels the perfect malevolency and Tilda Swinton is absolutely superb as a mother (and person) at the end of her tether. Unfortunately, the talented John C. Reilly is given very little to do as the loving father in the chaotic household and doesn't quite suit the role. However, the film's main focus is on a mother and her son and any other characters are secondary. For this reason, I found it's elusive nature a bit too distant and hard to identify with the characters. An unsettling drama that packs a powerful punch but it's not entirely easy viewing and may leave a bad taste for some.

• Aaron N

  
  Kevin: Just because you're used to something doesn't mean you have to like it. You're use to me. In times past, when it comes to certain horror movies or thrillers, I have noted that the "creepy kid" subgenre is one that usually gets to me pretty easily.… More
  Kevin: Just because you're used to something doesn't mean you have to like it. You're use to me. In times past, when it comes to certain horror movies or thrillers, I have noted that the "creepy kid" subgenre is one that usually gets to me pretty easily. We Need to Talk About Kevin is not quite a horror film or thriller, but more a psychological drama surrounding the mental state of a mother dealing with her son who is, for lack of a better term, a psychopath. While his actions certainly escalate to creepy, it is the way this plot unfolds and how we see all of the things the mother has to deal with that kept me involved on an incredibly frustrating level regarding Kevin's growth from a young child onward. We Need to Talk About Kevin is certainly well acted, but it very much became an unlikely chore for me to not attempt to reach into the screen and slap Kevin. read the whole review at thecodeiszeek.com

• William D

  
  I am a big fan of Lynne Ramsay. I can still remember seeing "Ratcatcher" in a theater when it first was released in NY (2000). I remember saying to myself, "This is a filmmaker to watch." I am very happy that Ramsay finally ended her hiatus from filmmaking. (Her… More
  I am a big fan of Lynne Ramsay. I can still remember seeing "Ratcatcher" in a theater when it first was released in NY (2000). I remember saying to myself, "This is a filmmaker to watch." I am very happy that Ramsay finally ended her hiatus from filmmaking. (Her last film, "Morvern Callar," starring Samantha Morton, came out 10 years ago.) What I love about Ramsay is that she is artistically ferocious and a true original. She isn't afraid to go out on limbs. And she really goes out on one with "We Need to Talk About Kevin" (her third film). Unfortunately, radical projects don't always succeed. One can appreciate the audacity and originality of "Kevin," but it's hard to deny that the experiment doesn't really work. Ramsay's comrade in arms on this project is actress Tilda Swinton, another true artist. Swinton plays an artistically inclined New York City woman who gets dragged to the suburbs by her husband (played adequately by John C. Reilly) when they have their first baby. She has a terrible time fitting in, but what's worse, her first child turns out to have a profound hatred for her. At first I thought "Kevin" was a pitch-black satire of suburbia and an over-the-top depiction of a classic female fear of being rejected by one's child. But as it develops, it gets more and more grim, to the point where it becomes a straight-ahead horror movie. This collision of elements, being a serious art film on one level and a cheesy horror movie on another, sounds interesting on paper. But on the screen, it didn't work for me. At times the film is so absurd as to be laughable. Watching a toddler in diapers giving mean face made many people in my audience giggle, including me. And this happens repeatedly. I would really like to hear Ramsay talk about what she was thinking when she was working on this project. There are many interesting ideas at its core. But the final product only intermittently works. And at times, it is spectacularly off.

• c0up  

  
  'We Need to Talk About Kevin'. DEEPLY unsettling. Tilda Swinton is incredible as a mother bearing the ramifications of her sociopathic son. I'll say it again; Tilda Swinton, incredible. She hardly speaks during the two hours, but you know the pain, fear, sadness and… More
  'We Need to Talk About Kevin'. DEEPLY unsettling. Tilda Swinton is incredible as a mother bearing the ramifications of her sociopathic son. I'll say it again; Tilda Swinton, incredible. She hardly speaks during the two hours, but you know the pain, fear, sadness and frustration she is going through every second of the film. The cinematography and direction are beautiful, with imagery moving in and out of focus Likewise the disjointed, but cohesive editing, slowly revealing what Eva had dealt with over 15 years. Jonny Greenwood's score is the cherry on top.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Why would I not understand the context? I am the context."</i> The mother of a teenage boy who went on a high-school killing spree tries to deal with her grief - and feelings of responsibility for her child's actions. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"Why would I not understand the context? I am the context."</i> The mother of a teenage boy who went on a high-school killing spree tries to deal with her grief - and feelings of responsibility for her child's actions. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> I must confess that I have not read Lionel Shriver's 2003 novel that this film is based. What I do know is that the books structure is assembled with letters written from mother to father after the events involving their son. The film however, uses an altogether more intricate, fractured reveal through the tragic memories of a mother dealing with an alarmingly profound problem. The escalation of Kevin's (Ezra Miller) behaviour towards his mother, Eva (Tilda Swinton), is seen in flashback. Fragments of information scatter the narrative: In infancy, Kevin's screaming becomes unbearable for Eva, she stands for a moment of pure bliss next with baby in tram, stood next to road works, the immense concrete driller becoming simply a different (and therefore perfect) emitter of high decibel noise: Kevin treats his mother with disdain, whilst having a seemingly normal relationship with his father, Franklin (John C. Reilly). This is Lynne Ramsay's first film since 2002's Morvern Callar, and is an exceptional exploration of grief, the accumulation of memory, and the guilt association with parenthood. What would any parent think of a child who goes to high school and attacks the students with a crossbow? Both pivotal performances from Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller are excruciatingly brilliant (if Swinton does not get an Oscar nomination, I will eat a handful of flesh-eating ants). Whilst not an easy subject to deal with, the way in which it has been written, directed and performed makes it absolutely essential viewing.

• Jennifer X

  
  I think maybe Owen Gleiberman said it was an exploitative flick masquerading as an arthouse film, but that's kinda why I liked it. I found the interactions between the reptilian Tilda Swinton and the various incantations of Kevin to be riveting and disturbing. Even the pleasure… More
  I think maybe Owen Gleiberman said it was an exploitative flick masquerading as an arthouse film, but that's kinda why I liked it. I found the interactions between the reptilian Tilda Swinton and the various incantations of Kevin to be riveting and disturbing. Even the pleasure scenes were nauseating.

• Pedro H

  
  <i> We Need to Talk About Kevin </i> <b>Powerful</b> This is by far one of the strongest and powerful films that I have ever seen. Every scene in this movie is gripping, disturbing, as though your nerves were being pulled. This is not a pleasant experience,… More
  <i> We Need to Talk About Kevin </i> <b>Powerful</b> This is by far one of the strongest and powerful films that I have ever seen. Every scene in this movie is gripping, disturbing, as though your nerves were being pulled. This is not a pleasant experience, on the contrary its a very disturbing film, but a film worth watching. This psychological thriller follows Eva's (Swinton) mind after her son Kevin goes on a high-school killing spree. Honestly this is one of the years top film. Its a total award winning film because it has all the essentials. The story of the movie itself is very complex, yet unique because we never really know what its like for the mothers of the kids we detest on television. The plot and script is well written, and Lynne Ramsay does an excellent job. <b>One of the years best</b> best Cinematography is found in this movie. Every scene, every shot is a building block that creates this colloquial atmosphere that is so intense; which is what makes the movie so powerful. In every scene there is an analogy, a symbolism, like the first scene with the tomato war. The cinematography is so beautiful that it extents from being visual and you being to feel the texture of every scene, and by doing that you get a feel of the psychological state of mind of each character. Then there is Tilda Swinton, who on my personal opinion <b>is the actress of the Year</b>. Even though she barely speaks, this doesn't impede us from getting to know this character. You can feel every wound and see every scar that Tilda carries in this movie. Her internal performance is amazing, and just by looking at her we are able to see exactly what this character is going through. Honestly this is the best performance I have seen this year and I totally believe she deserves all the awards out there because she is <b>phenomenal</b>. The other actors like John C. Reilly, whom I really love in comedy, is actually capable of doing a serious role and does it quite well. Ezra Miller is amazing, he is able to do one of the most loyal and sensible psychopaths that I have yet seen on the big screen. The Soundtrack is also astonishing. John Greenwood is able to build up even more the intense and thrilling atmosphere, with his song selection. Every song and sound adds to the essential nightmare like climate. Overall everything of this movie is just wonderful. The acting is brilliant, the screenplay even better, and the cinematography is <b>superb</b> However this is not an easy film to watch, it can get dragging, and it is very strong in a sense that your heart and mind will not be at ease, as though you constantly have the need to throw up. But that is what I love about movies, how they are able to touch our emotions, and not always the good ones, personally in this film I felt as though someone was ripping of a nerve from my teeth, and I loved it. <u>Kevin:</u> <i>"Just because you are used to something doesn't mean you like it."</i>

• Alireza M

  
  It's brilliant in directing but overall is an imperfect horror movie which wants to be a modern Rosemary's Baby.Lynne Ramsay succeeded to have a unique visual style and created a scary nightmare but its lacks drama .there is no character development, specially Kevin and his… More
  It's brilliant in directing but overall is an imperfect horror movie which wants to be a modern Rosemary's Baby.Lynne Ramsay succeeded to have a unique visual style and created a scary nightmare but its lacks drama .there is no character development, specially Kevin and his father's character who we never get familiar with their world.

• Everett J

  
  "We Need to Talk about Kevin" is probably the darkest movie I have watched in a long time. The movie revolves around the relationship between Eva(Tilda Swinton) and her son Kevin(Ezra Miller). The movie is shown mostly in flashbacks leading up to a tragedy when Kevin is 15… More
  "We Need to Talk about Kevin" is probably the darkest movie I have watched in a long time. The movie revolves around the relationship between Eva(Tilda Swinton) and her son Kevin(Ezra Miller). The movie is shown mostly in flashbacks leading up to a tragedy when Kevin is 15 years old. Kevin treats his mother like crap, but she doesn't necessarily come off as mother of the year. Is she to blame for who Kevin is, and what he has done? Or is Kevin just plain evil? It's a very interesting dynamic, that leads to a pretty shocking conclusion. Swinton is going to be nominated for many awards for this, and honestly, I can see her winning. She makes you hate her, and feel sorry for her all at the same time. Her performance alone is reason enough to watch this. It may be too bleak for some, and some may find it more off putting than entertaining. I thought it was excellent, and highly engrossing. But watch at your own risk, this isn't a kiddie movie at all.

• Greg S

  
  A mother's tortured relationship with her psychopathic son told in impressionistic flashback fragments. It's sort of THE BAD SEED by way of THE TREE OF LIFE; it's confusing and frequently audience-alienating, but the core tale of a mother bound to a horrifying monster… More
  A mother's tortured relationship with her psychopathic son told in impressionistic flashback fragments. It's sort of THE BAD SEED by way of THE TREE OF LIFE; it's confusing and frequently audience-alienating, but the core tale of a mother bound to a horrifying monster of a son she doesn't love is deeply disconcerting.

• Cory T

  
  'We Need to Talk About Kevin' is the second film this year (after the superior 'Beautiful Boy') to plumb the reverberations a school-massacre can have on the survivors, specifically the maniac's parents. Unfortunately, the film amounts to a fragmented indie… More
  'We Need to Talk About Kevin' is the second film this year (after the superior 'Beautiful Boy') to plumb the reverberations a school-massacre can have on the survivors, specifically the maniac's parents. Unfortunately, the film amounts to a fragmented indie version of 'The Bad Seed' where the enfant terrible's slaughter was telegraphed by his early years of colicky disobedience. And in case the viewers are apathetic, Lynne Ramsay bludgeons us with insufferably quaint scenes of Kevin killing his sister's pet or defiling his mother's den with red paint (a predominant color that is tactlessly smeared in the mise en scene). Abstract and encumbered with overcranked slow-motion, 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' is superficial and not particularly eerie.

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