We Need to Talk About Kevin

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We Need to Talk About Kevin

R

2011

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

210 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Eva Khatchadourian is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and Bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin. Pregnancy does not seem to agree with Eva, but what's worse, when she does give birth to a baby boy named Kevin, she can't seem to bond with him. When Kevin grows from a fussy, demanding toddler into a sociopathic teen, Eva is forced to deal with the aftermath of her son's horrific act.

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Critics Consensus

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a masterful blend of drama and horror, with fantastic performances across the board (Tilda Swinton especially, delivering one of her very best).

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/31/2018

It may be one of those pesky films that is awful to watch but is worth watching all the same. Oh, dear.

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David Thomson

The New Republic

06/19/2013

It becomes a film about her [Swinton] scattered mind. That produces wonders from Swinton, but it ignores the plea in the title. What about Kevin? Kevin deserves so much more attention-indeed, he deserves being played by Tilda Swinton.

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Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

03/09/2012

2.5/4

Fragmented, dreamlike, a whir of memories and misery, We Need to Talk About Kevin is unsettling, but also somehow unnecessary.

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KT Mahe

For Your Reference Podcast

Feb 11

4/5

Hard to watch but impossible to look away, Ramsay brings her signature unflinching lens to youth and family.

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Oti

For Your Reference Podcast

Feb 11

4/5

Dark and unsettling, We Need to Talk About Kevin keeps you on edge, even if its constant time jumps dilute some of the emotional punch. Still, it’s a gripping, nail-biting watch anchored by brilliant performances.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 9

2/5

Despite all the undeniable talent on the screen, the story itself fails to address any of the questions it raises about the darker parts of being a parent.

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Steven F.

@SteveGotScored Mar 8

A surprisingly shocking thriller!

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Lasse L

@RT62932725 Mar 8

An incredibly bleak film. I think the movie accomplishes what it intends to, but know that you're in for a pretty tough time

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Illen -

@Illenation Feb 15

Simply put, the movie is boring and the characters are annoying and unlikable. I do appreciate what it was trying to convey, but it's honestly a slog to get through and I kept wanting it to be more; more interesting, more compelling.

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Santiago C

@framesanty Jan 6

Es una pelicula sumamente rara y eso la convierte en algo genial. Un guion diferente pero a la vez esperable. La actuación de Tilda Swinton no decepciona en lo absoluto, te hace sentir desesperado, conectado y hasta miserable. Es una pelicula que vale la pena ver en silencio, en tu casa, sin comida y sin acompañantes preferiblemente.

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Michaellle B

@Michael120 Dec 22

I respect what We Need to Talk About Kevin is trying to do, but it didn’t work for me. I found Kevin as a character more irritating than compelling, and the film’s insistence on his importance felt self-satisfied rather than insightful. The tone kept me at a distance instead of drawing me in. While the mother’s character had moments of nuance, the overall experience felt alienating rather than engaging.

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H B

@RT58204091 Dec 22

I thought it was so good, the child actor did an incredible job and it was just the right amount of creepy.

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Lynne Ramsay

Director

Tilda Swinton

Eva

John C. Reilly

Franklin

Ezra Miller

Kevin (Teenager)

Jasper Newell

Kevin (6-8 Years)

Rocky Duer

Kevin (Toddler)

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58%

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Synopsis

Eva Khatchadourian is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and Bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin. Pregnancy does not seem to agree with Eva, but what's worse, when she does give birth to a baby boy named Kevin, she can't seem to bond with him. When Kevin grows from a fussy, demanding toddler into a sociopathic teen, Eva is forced to deal with the aftermath of her son's horrific act.

Director: Lynne Ramsay
Producer: Luc Roeg, Jennifer Fox, Robert Salerno
Screenwriter: Lynne Ramsay, Rory Stewart Kinnear
Distributor: Oscilloscope Pictures
Production Co: UK Film Council, BBC Films
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Violence/Behavior|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 9, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 14, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $487.1K
Runtime: 1h 51m

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