We Need to Talk About Kevin

Well maybe I need to talk about, "We Need to Talk About Kevin." I have just got around to watching this film from 2011. I knew the subject matter was disturbing. Perhaps this is why I avoided it for so long? I can't really say. Some things just keep going to the bottom of the pile. Perhaps I was too busy raising my own kids to stop and watch a film which is about the struggles of Eva (Tilda Swinton - who gives a knockout performance). Eva is dealing with a child, Kevin, who is a sociopath. Kevin as a baby won't stop crying. There is a scene where Eva, with her baby stroller, stands beside a man with a jackhammer who is chipping away at the concrete road. The deafening noise drowns out Kevin's cries and for a moment, Eva has some peace - it rang true and heartbreaking. As Kevin grows into the monster played by Ezra Miller, we feel Eva's pain and frustration in every frame, especially when her goofy husband (the brilliant John C. Reilly) seems rather oblivious to Kevin's cruel nature. The film is a portrait of a monster who starts as a monster and the powerlessness of a mother unable to change the course of evil. I found it gripping, harrowing, and sad. It's an excellent film. Catch it on streaming services or go rent it from your local video store. In Ottawa, that would be Movies 'N' Stuff.