WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (Lynne Ramsay, BBC Films, 2011)

One of those films that quietly slipped under the radar, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (Lynne Ramsay, BBC Films, 2011) is a chilling portrait of a psychopathic killer and the pain and devastation he causes his mother. It is marked by a stark realism in its narrative, some incredibly good casting and performances and a tremendous job of directing by Ramsay. The narrative is chilling in content particularly with the rash of shootings in schools and theaters over the last several years. And while we tend to focus on the victims and their families (rightly so) we seem to never think about the family of the assailant. This film gives us Eva Katchadourian (Tilda Swinton) as she deals with the after effects of her son Kevin's killing spree. Shunned and treated poorly by those who know of her sons crime, she also deals with her own feelings of guilt over her raising of him. Never attached to him and never feeling love for him, Swinton gives us a haunted and cold performance. Haunted by her memories of her son growing up and cold enough so that we can see her son in her. Kevin (Ezra Miller) is remarkable as well. Scary and evil, the young actor is brilliant casting for the part. His eyes speak volumes and his looks are enough to convince the world he is a killer before any of his sadistic actions come to light. By the time his father (Thomas C Reilly) buys him a composite bow we are sufficiently scared of what he can do. The best aspect of the film is the direction of Ramsay. Her style is simple and effective and she allows the film to do its work through its visual elements. She doesn't get bogged down in stylistic choices that are popular in today's reality driven cinema. She allows the camera to be still and to linger, soaking in her actors and letting them work. Her shots are simple and quiet. She effectively uses sound both on screen and off. And she brilliantly uses motifs throughout the film particularly through her production design. Red is her dominant color, foreshadowing the blood of the massacre and the guilt of Eva. Wine and prescription pills are present in many scenes, lending possible reasons to Eva's despair and Kevin's psychotic behavior. I really liked everything Ramsay did throughout the entire film. Personally I really like how the film takes a look at parenthood that isn't often talked about due to its insensitivity. Eva is a mother not really happy to be one. She doesn't truly love her son and she feels burdened by him. She has had to relinquish her life for him and this displeases her. These are not thoughts often shown or discussed. And it's refreshing that such subject matter gets tackled. It gives the film power. Great film!