We Need To Talk About Kevin
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, John C. Reilly
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Rating: 3/5
Tilda Swinton is perhaps one of the most underrated actresses working in Hollywood today - despite already having an Oscar to her name.
Well another nomination could be heading her way for her central performance in Lynne Ramsay's adaptation of the Lionel Shriver novel.
The movie follows the mother of a teenage boy who went on a high-school killing spree tries to deal with her grief.
Eva grapples with her own feelings of grief and responsibility. Did she ever love her son?
Ok lets get the good out of the way first... the performances are truly outstanding and if Swinton doesn't get another Oscar nod then there is something sadly wrong.
She is a tortured woman while Kevin is growing up and after what he does as she never seems to connect with her son.
Eva was an ambitious and career driven woman who is forced to put things to one side when she falls pregnant - and she has a troubled and strained relationship with Kevin from the second she is born.
But it is the performance that Swinton gives after Kevin's killing spree that is just so powerful as she tries to battle her own grief and cope with the accusations and abuse that come her way on a daily basis.
It is a tour de force performance from Swinton and you really can't see anyone other than her playing this role it really is a perfect piece of casting - she plays this role with such poise and dignity never letting it slip into melodrama.
Ezra Miller is also superb as the very troubled Kevin his look and his mannerisms towards his mother are chilling to the bone - we could have a real acting star on our hands here.
We Need To Talk About Kevin is a very intelligent psychological drama that does have a real chill to it.
But the film also raises some very interesting questions - as a parent are you in some way responsible for their actions?
But it is the structure of the film that I really didn't like as it does not follow that of the book.
Shriver's story is told through a series of letters from Eva to her absent ex husband about the events that transpired - instead this movie jumps all over the place from present to past to before Kevin was born and son on and it just feels a little bit disjointed.
While the performances in the movie are superb, there really is a chilling feeling in that central relationship between Eva and her son, there is just that little bit something missing - but I can't quite put my finger on it!
We Need To Talk About Kevin is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Tilda Swinton