We Need To Talk About Kevin is a film that's good, but I struggled to really enjoy. This is purely down to the subject matter, and that it is so sinister and delivered with realism. For some reason I had a pre-conceived idea that it would teeter on the edge of black comedy, being serious, yet dabbling in humour every so often to lighten the mood. Well this couldn't be further from the truth. Even when something does happen that maybe slightly humorous, unintentionally so it seems, it feels wrong to laugh. And although the mood may lighten for a second, it never lasts long. It is a heavy drama to watch.
The film opens with a modular disjointed narrative form, which consequently throws a viewer off balance, but wisely it tends to regain a slightly more linear form shortly after and through the entire duration. The story is rather straightforward and simple on the surface, allowing the viewer to delve as deep as they want into the questioning of why Kevin is the way he is. This is a nice touch, as it doesn't try to tie up loose ends, or drop hints so that it all clicks. It is never really explained, and in some ways is not as obvious as it may seem. So it remains up to the individual, and their own subjective interpretation of the story, and I guess values to some extent, to make up his or her own mind.
For me, We Need To Talk About Kevin was all about the performances. Tilda Swinton as Eva (Kevin's mother), and Kevin as a toddler and child, were the standouts. A lot has been said about Tilda's performance and I mostly agree. I doubt it will be Oscar worthy, but it is definitely one of her best achievements. She really does seem to be tormented throughout, and I imagine it was a very draining role, which I think is evident and only works to make her character on screen, all the more convincing. She strikes a delicate balance between being a good mother, and a bad mother, that you never really know if you are completely on her side. I think this is a great accomplishment, as it would have been quite easy to slip into innocent victim mode, which she really is painted as, but the depth in her performance, keeps one pondering that there may be more to it, and never totally convinced.
The death stares of Kevin (at all ages), towards his mother, are somewhat devilish. It's almost like you are waiting for the child to morph into some demonic version of himself (ala The Exorcist, Omen), but it never happens, which only helps to add to the insanity of watching a child possessing such an ever-present hatred for his mother. It makes the whole thing uneasy from beginning to end, which is the obvious intention, and also part of the reason this at times could be seen as a horror film. However, I have to mention how much I enjoyed the closing scene, as I really wasn't expecting that type of dynamic shift to be thrown up right at the end. I found Eva and Kevin's hug to be coated in symbolism, lead by their facial expressions and the strength with which one party embraces the other. Its connotations are not overtly obvious, and I probably interpret it different from the next person, but for me it added a lot to the film. Otherwise I think I would have left feeling pretty bare about the whole thing.
One thing I am left to wonder however, is if this film would have been a lot more intriguing had I not known a substantial piece of the plot. A lot of critic reviews and synopses, drop a massive part of the story, and I can't help but feel it would have been better not to know, so the narrative's build to the finale is more encompassing. Instead everything was too easily comprehendible, always understanding people's actions and key scenes, without the need for too much interpretation or questioning. The fact that this plot element is never said or shown explicitly for the majority of the film, as all we witness are the resulting reactions, I can't help but think that the intention was for you as a viewer to work it out in your own time. But surely this cannot be the case, as if it is, then it's a massive oversight when creating publicity for this film. Reviews and some synopses are at the eye of the beholder though I guess, so maybe it is an accidental trip up that the producers never saw coming.
Regardless, We Need To Talk About Kevin is a good watch, unique story, with great performances. A film that it wouldn't hurt to be in the right mood for, and prepared for some loaded content. Kevin has chalked up he's name as an impressive film villain, if you see it that way.
The film opens with a modular disjointed narrative form, which consequently throws a viewer off balance, but wisely it tends to regain a slightly more linear form shortly after and through the entire duration. The story is rather straightforward and simple on the surface, allowing the viewer to delve as deep as they want into the questioning of why Kevin is the way he is. This is a nice touch, as it doesn't try to tie up loose ends, or drop hints so that it all clicks. It is never really explained, and in some ways is not as obvious as it may seem. So it remains up to the individual, and their own subjective interpretation of the story, and I guess values to some extent, to make up his or her own mind.
For me, We Need To Talk About Kevin was all about the performances. Tilda Swinton as Eva (Kevin's mother), and Kevin as a toddler and child, were the standouts. A lot has been said about Tilda's performance and I mostly agree. I doubt it will be Oscar worthy, but it is definitely one of her best achievements. She really does seem to be tormented throughout, and I imagine it was a very draining role, which I think is evident and only works to make her character on screen, all the more convincing. She strikes a delicate balance between being a good mother, and a bad mother, that you never really know if you are completely on her side. I think this is a great accomplishment, as it would have been quite easy to slip into innocent victim mode, which she really is painted as, but the depth in her performance, keeps one pondering that there may be more to it, and never totally convinced.
The death stares of Kevin (at all ages), towards his mother, are somewhat devilish. It's almost like you are waiting for the child to morph into some demonic version of himself (ala The Exorcist, Omen), but it never happens, which only helps to add to the insanity of watching a child possessing such an ever-present hatred for his mother. It makes the whole thing uneasy from beginning to end, which is the obvious intention, and also part of the reason this at times could be seen as a horror film. However, I have to mention how much I enjoyed the closing scene, as I really wasn't expecting that type of dynamic shift to be thrown up right at the end. I found Eva and Kevin's hug to be coated in symbolism, lead by their facial expressions and the strength with which one party embraces the other. Its connotations are not overtly obvious, and I probably interpret it different from the next person, but for me it added a lot to the film. Otherwise I think I would have left feeling pretty bare about the whole thing.
One thing I am left to wonder however, is if this film would have been a lot more intriguing had I not known a substantial piece of the plot. A lot of critic reviews and synopses, drop a massive part of the story, and I can't help but feel it would have been better not to know, so the narrative's build to the finale is more encompassing. Instead everything was too easily comprehendible, always understanding people's actions and key scenes, without the need for too much interpretation or questioning. The fact that this plot element is never said or shown explicitly for the majority of the film, as all we witness are the resulting reactions, I can't help but think that the intention was for you as a viewer to work it out in your own time. But surely this cannot be the case, as if it is, then it's a massive oversight when creating publicity for this film. Reviews and some synopses are at the eye of the beholder though I guess, so maybe it is an accidental trip up that the producers never saw coming.
Regardless, We Need To Talk About Kevin is a good watch, unique story, with great performances. A film that it wouldn't hurt to be in the right mood for, and prepared for some loaded content. Kevin has chalked up he's name as an impressive film villain, if you see it that way.