We Need to Talk about Kevin makes me not want to have children. Because what if my child turns out to be a psychopath like Kevin? What if, ever since the child’s birth, you have a weird feeling about it. It’s just not lovable. What if you find that this child does hurtful things just to hurt you? What if you tried to talk to your spouse about this, and he’s just not willing to listen. “He’s just a boy. This is what boys do.”
We Need to Talk about Kevin is a film based on the novel written by Lionel Shriver. We start with Eva Khatchadourian, who struggles with picking up her life after her son Kevin shot her husband and daughter and a number of students at his high school. The townspeople (partially) blame her for her son’s actions. Eva, however, stays in town because her son is in a prison close by.
Through flashbacks we get to see how Kevin was conceived, how unresponsive he was as a baby, how obstinate as a toddler, that he just won’t be potty trained, that’s he’s a tyrant to his baby sister Celia (who’s nothing like him), and that he manipulates his father into always giving him the benefit of the doubt no matter what his mother says.
One day, when Kevin’s sick, his mother reads the story of Robin Hood to him and he become enthralled with the bow and arrow. His dad, Franklin, buys him a toy bow and arrow for his birthday and Kevin’s been hooked ever since. When Kevin gets older, his father gets him a real bow and arrow and that was just a terrible idea.
As I said in the beginning, this film is highly disturbing. It is rated R for good reason. Because we’re watching Kevin growing up, there are multiple actors playing his role. Rock Duer plays Kevin as a toddler. Ezra Miller plays him as a teenager, the one committing the crimes for which he ended up in jail. Jasper Newell plays Kevin when he’s between 6 en 8 years of age and he did it magnificently. Out of the three, I think he was the best.
Eva, played by Tilda Swinton (Chronicles of Narnia, Burn after Reading, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), is totally unlikable. I wanted to slap her in the face multiple times during this movie. However, I can completely understand how she became an insufferable, depressed and detached woman.
Not a film for a relaxing evening on the sofa with wine, olives and cheese. Buckle up for this one!
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