“We Need To Talk About Kevin” revolves completely around the pivotal performance of Tilda Swinton who takes us inside the mind and body of a mother who doesn’t know how much she contributed to the horrors her son commits or why he is the way he is.
She is upfront about not wanting to have had him as it changed her life from what she wanted it to be and shows him very little love through most of his life. She, very simply, delivers making you feel for a person who isn’t easy to feel for.
In a rarity the boys who plays Kevin at 3 different stages of his life not only have a strong resemblance to each other but a remarkable resemblance to their mother. Rocky Duer as the toddler, Jasper Newell at the ages of 6-8 and Ezra Miller as the teenage Kevin provide a smooth transition from one age to the next. All, including the toddler, come across but Miller, in a difficult role, holds his own with Swinton which isn’t easy to do.
Aside from the three boys, and Swinton, there is a lot that is wrong with this film starting with John C. Reilly who isn’t believable as husband or father.
The cutting by the director, Lynne Ramsay, and/or editor, Joe Bin, takes a lot away from the film and the screenplay by Ramsay and Rory StewartKinnear doesn’t offer any answers to the questions and why the film, supposedly, was made. The music and soundtrack is jarring most of the time.
This is not an easy film to watch due to the story, the way the story was told, the time periods being all over the place–watch Swinton’s haircuts to know when something is happening–and the basic question of what went wrong is not answered or, possibly, not answerable.
It is a depressing film and even though the color blood bright red is used, way too much, “We Need To Talk About Kevin” is a dark film.
Aside from Swinton’s performance the latest high school shooting may bring an audience to this film but they will not find what they are looking for–answers.
