MPAA Rating: R
Director: Lynne Ramsay
FilmPulse Score: 8.5/10
We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of those movies that is so deeply moving and depressing that it sits with you for days after watching it. Although the film is centered around an event that Kevin does, it’s more a study of how the event, and Kevin himself effects his mother (Tilda Swinton).
The film jumps forward an backward in time, starting after the event took place, and shows the life of this family from the moment of Kevin’s birth to present when he’s a teenager.
This movie is such an amazing study of the human condition. One one hand, you have Kevin, a boy that was simply born bad. He has no emotion and no remorse for his actions. From a young age he learns how to manipulate and control his parents and is truly a soulless human being.
On the other hand, you have the mother, who constantly tries to help and nurture Kevin develop. As the movie progresses you can see her become more frail and downtrodden and by the film’s conclusion, she’s a shell of her former self. To make matters worse, she becomes the town pariah after what Kevin does. It’s amazing to see how someone you gave life to can strip yours away.
This movie is hands down a must-see and will most assuredly make my top-ten of the year.
One of the greatest cautionary tales of parenting ever made. A creepy and disturbing film on every level.