Film: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Cast includes: Tilda Swinton (Burn After Reading), John C. Reilly (Cyrus), Ezra Miller (City Island)
Writer/Director: Lynne Ramsay (Morvern Callar)
Genre: Surreal Drama, Psychological Suspense, Horror (112 minutes)
The early images of surreal blood orgies don’t make much sense until we see that neighbors have thrown red paint all over Eva’s rundown little house. When we see the Khatchadourian family at home getting ready for a party, it’s a much larger home than where Eva lives now. “You have to dance,” Franklin says to 6-year old Celia as Kevin looks on. “One, two three, one, two three…” (What’s up with the eye patch… we wonder.) Back to today… Eva has an appointment at Travel R Us. “I don’t really care who you are or what you’ve done, as long as you can type and file,” says Wanda. “See you Monday.” Eva is almost joyful as she walks to her car. Maybe her life is going to get back on track. But a slap on the face brings her back to reality. “I hope you rot in hell, you fucking bitch.”
“No, no, no… It was my fault,” Eva tells a passer-by. And we get flashbacks of a glowing red crowd scene. Next, they flashback to Eva and Franklin as newly weds… the pregnancy was… well, not quite as joyful as most. The screams in the delivery room are matched only by the constant, ear-piercing screams of the baby… Kevin. He doesn’t cry when Franklin picks him up. “You just have to rock him a little bit,” coos Franklin. When the screaming phase ends, the non-verbal stage begins. Eva takes him to doctors, thinking there’s something wrong. “He has none of the tell-tail signs…” the doctor assures Eva. What is it about Kevin? If we didn’t know better, we’d say Kevin has a vendetta against Eva. He’s such a good little boy when Franklin’s around. “You think I’m exaggerating?” Eva is at her wit’s end. “He’s just a boy. Just a sweet little boy.”
By this time, we know things aren’t going to end well for the Khatchadourian family… or the community, for that matter. And it’s obvious that the torment continues for Eva. The entire film is quick cuts between present day, flashbacks and possible dream scenes. It’s not an easy kind of narrative structure because viewers are always off guard, trying to work out what’s happening. But when it’s done well, as in this film, it can heighten the unease we feel about the events. They signal us early on that it’ll be violent and disturbing, but most of the worst parts happen in our imaginations… which are heightened by the intensity of the narrative style. Tilda Swinton as Eva is mesmerizing. The power of her performance puts us on edge long before we have any idea where the story is going to take us. The casting is excellent, as well… with Kevin at three different ages… all eerie reflections of Eva herself. Is it nature or nurture? The film is part psychodrama and part horror movie. Even though we know it’s not intended to show us a real mother-child relationship, we can’t help but squirm thinking about personal real life challenges. Should you choose to see this one, it’s important to keep reminding yourself that it’s just a movie… and hopefully the nightmares won’t last too long.
3 popped kernels
Kevin is born evil… too evil for many moviegoers… but brilliantly done
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R (Violence)
Audience: Grown-ups
Gender: Co-ed
Distribution: Art house
Mood: Sober
Tempo: Cruises comfortably
Visual Style: Unvarnished realism
Character Development: Intense
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Thought provoking
