We Need to Talk about Kevin

As a general rule, I rarely see films that have been adapted from books that I have really enjoyed. One example is Alex Garland's The Beach. In this film, the lead actor was clearly miscast and didn't match my interpretation of the book and too many things appear to have been changed just to meet the audience's approval.

I had very similar reservations about We Need to Talk about Kevin, a harrowing, shocking book which looks at the very taboo subject of a mother not loving her son. However, when I heard that Tilda Swinton was playing the lead, my reservations disappeared. Swinton is on my list of actors who I will
watch anything in.

The story is about the relationship between Eva (Swinton) and her son Kevin (Jasper Newell as the child, Ezra Miller as the teenager). The film is shown in four distinct time period and jumps from one period to another as it shows the life that Eva had before Kevin was born,  when he was a baby, the time as a young boy and when Kevin was a teenager.

The film is essentially a series of flashbacks leading up to events where Kevin commits an atrocity that all parents fear. The flashbacks detail the strength of resentment of both Eva and Kevin towards each other and the hostility that grows as Kevin moves towards adulthood.

The story is told from Eva's point of view; the discontent and emptiness of her life since the birth of Kevin, the frustration of being taunted by her toddler son and the anguish and torment of not being able to connect with Kevin as a teenager.

We see how Eva copes alone after the event, where she is subjected to abuse from people in the town and vandalism to her home and car.

I am deliberately being vague about describing this film as I would hate to spoil it for anyone who maybe hasn't read the book. Needless to say, the film manages to retain the important element of the book which was what makes someone evil, is it nature or nurture?

Quite simply, this is one of the films of the year. Swinton is absolutely mesmerising as Eva. She is one of those few actresses who can say so much without uttering a single word. Her strength in this film comes from being able to show her frustration without being able to show it. Her ability to use her awkwardness to show Eva's pain, anguish and confusion is a masterclass in how to act with your entire body. You feel every ounce of the suffering that she is going through.

The other standout performance is by Miller who is angelic to look at, but behind every smile to his father Franklin (John C Reilly) was a look of disgust or a smirk to his mother. The delicate, layered chemistry between Eva and Kevin was overwhelmingly uncomfortable at times, but so brilliantly done by both actors. A special mention should be given to Newell who plays Kevin as a young boy with a coldness and hostility that you rarely see in very young actors.

I must also commend the casting of Reilly as Franklin. I am no fan of Reilly at all, but he plays the role as Eva sees him which is as someone who she feels is an idiot. Reilly was very convincing as the father who seems oblivious to the relationship between his wife and his son.

The cinematography for this film was outstanding. It has a fantastic art-house feel to it and the colour red featured in pretty much every scene of the film from the jam sandwiches made by Kevin to the red pen that Eva is holding when she finds out about the event. The film is beautifully and skilfully shot which only adds to the already excellent quality of this film.

Verdict: Terrifying, haunting and mesmerising; this is one of the films of the year. Swinton should order that trophy cabinet now as the awards will surely be coming her way...