We Need To Talk About Kevin

We Need To Talk About Kevin is a psychological thriller film adaptation  from its novel (which I haven't read yet but looking forward to) by Lionel Shriver. The film was directed by Lynne Ramsay; starring Ezra Miller, Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilley.



The film tackles with the common debate on nature vs nurture along with the different real world dilemmas such as parenting, motherhood, its effects and its roles and how the community or the people involved reacts to it and whatnot.




The film is about a mother, Eva, whose struggle focuses on her first-born child, Kevin. The relationship she experiences with her son during his birth through growing up is shown as complicated. From the constant crying during Kevin's infancy to the non empathetic attitude he has shown during his older years, there is no doubt that the relationship between Kevin and his mother is distant, cold.



Eva decides to confront her husband, Franklin, about Kevin's behaviour and how it affects her but he decided not to take this as a critical issue. Kevin, in Franklin's eyes, seems just like any other boy. However, later on, Eva begins to see signs of violent and harsh attitude from Kevin in which his actions resulted into severe consequence.

  

Throughout the film, all I could wonder is, "Why?. Like "Why does Kevin hate his mother so much?" "Why must he be so cold and distant?" "Why must the community shun her so much for whatever it is that had happened?"  It starts off with Eva constantly being shunned, insulted, shamed or harassed by almost everyone around her whether it may be her neighbours, colleagues or community, making her live out of fear and recluse.

At first I could not understand why and was eager enough to want to know what it is that resulted to such hatred. The film transitions between the flashbacks and memories during Eva's motherhood and then to her present self. This helps us understand why everyone around her despises her so much and put the pieces together.

I love the way this film was directed. I think Lynne Ramsay did a really great job transitioning from a calm atmosphere (making them seem like a normal family for a moment) into a tense, melancholic one. This shows the two sides of Eva, one that struggling with her son's strange and inappropriate behaviour, the other struggling with its consequence, the aftermath; both not very different from each other. And most importantly, I'd like to really acknowledge the great acting between Ezra Miller and Tilda Swinton. They delivered the character's emotions so wonderfully.



And the ending would leave you haunting just like the way it did to Eva. Could it be that it was her fault? Or could it have just been something that was out of her control?  It really makes you think.

The film is altogether horrifying, heartbreaking, depressing and thought provoking. It's making me wonder if its book is the same, if not much more.