We Need to Talk About Kevin

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TheMovieSearch R We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of those films that tends to divide audiences right down the middle. Directed by Lynne Ramsay and starring Tilda Swinton and a young Ezra Miller, it’s a haunting psychological drama that examines the complexities of motherhood, guilt, and the aftermath of tragedy. On a technical level, the film is well-made and visually striking, but from a storytelling standpoint, it often feels uneven, confusing, and emotionally disjointed. Tilda Swinton gives a powerhouse performance as Eva, a mother grappling with the horrifying actions of her son Kevin. She embodies that cold, withdrawn pain that only deepens as the story unfolds. However, while her acting is undeniably strong, the screenplay doesn’t always support her character’s emotional journey. Much of the film jumps back and forth in time, making it difficult to piece together what’s actually happening, and instead of feeling suspenseful, the structure comes off as unnecessarily fragmented. Ezra Miller, as Kevin, delivers a chilling performance, especially given his age at the time. He captures Kevin’s manipulative, unsettling nature with precision. Yet even with his strong portrayal, the movie still feels hollow because it doesn’t give enough insight into why Kevin behaves the way he does. The emotional connection between mother and son—which should have been the core of the story—feels lost beneath the stylized direction and heavy symbolism. John C. Reilly, who plays the father, feels miscast. His presence doesn’t blend well with the tone of the film. He brings a warmth and slightly comedic energy that completely clashes with the otherwise bleak and psychological nature of the story. It’s not that Reilly isn’t talented, but here, his performance feels out of place, which only adds to the imbalance of the movie’s tone. The biggest issue with We Need to Talk About Kevin lies in its screenplay and pacing. It’s confusing, overly ambitious, and at times, so abstract that it becomes hard to emotionally connect with. Ramsay’s direction feels self-indulgent in moments, relying more on mood and metaphor than coherent storytelling. What should have been a deeply emotional, gut-wrenching film instead becomes an artistic puzzle that few will have the patience to piece together. At the end of the day, while the film earned critical praise and awards recognition, it’s not a movie that resonates with everyone. Some may appreciate its artistry and disturbing atmosphere, but for others—like myself—it feels cold, messy, and overrated. If you’re looking for a movie with clear emotional payoff or engaging storytelling, We Need to Talk About Kevin probably won’t deliver. It’s a dark, disorienting experience that might intrigue a niche audience but fails to reach its full potential as a compelling psychological drama. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 11/04/25 Full Review Mason M I've been really wanting to get into the works of Lynne Ramsay lately so this was my first experience with one of her films. And though it took a little bit of time to grow on me, I was really impressed with We Need to Talk About Kevin. Though I don't fully get how this is horror, this film was riveting, immersive, and thrilling in a great way. The writing of the plotline was great and the dialogue was ingeniously written. What really stands out most to me in this film was Lynne Ramsay's direction. The photography is beautiful, the performances were incredible, the soundtrack was amazing. The scene composition especially in this film was really stunning. The way Ramsay chose to shoot certain scenes was unlike anything I've seen any other director come up with. I haven't read the book, so I don't know how much of this was the book's work. And the three leads, especially Ezra Miller, all were perfect for their parts and gave incredible performances. Ramsay does an incredible job bringing this cold story to life, and I'm definitely looking forward to checking out the rest of her filmography. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/21/25 Full Review Audience Member Was hard to follow at first. All over the place but got better as it went on. Very disturbing at times and all over the place at others too. Not something I'd watch again Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/05/25 Full Review Elias O Definitely a gut wrenching movie, the start of the story does make sense of why he grew up that way and it makes u fully understand why the ending Is it worth watching? Yes, without a doubt, but maybe it is not the best movie to rewatch, either way, great acting from Ezra Miller. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/04/25 Full Review thiago s Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajudou a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/20/25 Full Review Daniel S 🎬 "We Need to Talk About This Movie (But I'd Rather Not)" - A Review Dear Diary of Disappointment, Remember when I thought I was getting a psychological thriller? SIKE! 😩 Starring: - Tilda Swinton as 😐 (that's it, that's her whole range) - Kevin as World's Most Obvious Problem Child That Nobody Notices - Parents with PhDs in Ignoring Red Flags - The Invisible Support System™️ - A Town Full of Professional Slappers Timeline? More like Time-WHAAAAT? 🌀 Director: "Let's make this artsy!" Audience: "Let's make this make sense!" Parenting Guide According to This Movie: - Kid uses sister as chemistry experiment? Sleep it off! 🧪 - Pet goes down garbage disposal? Must be Tuesday! 🐹 - School showing concerns? What schools? 🏫 - Need professional help? Nah, let's drive around with sad music! 🚗 Special Features: - "Spot the Missing Plot" Challenge - "Where Did Eva's Friends Go?" Mystery - "Find the Violence in This Violence Movie" Game - "Count Tilda's Expressions" Speed Run (World Record: 1) Budget Breakdown: 90% - Moody Driving Scene Soundtrack 10% - Actually Making Sense Critics Called It: "Art!" 🎨 "Genius!" 🧠 "Revolutionary!" 💫 Reality Called It: "ZZZzzzzz..." 😴 Coming Soon: "We Need to Talk About Why We Made This Movie" Rating: 5/5 Plot Holes #WhyTildaWhy #ArtierThanThou #NapTime #MissedOpportunityTheMovie Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 04/20/25 Full Review Read all reviews

We Need to Talk About Kevin

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