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We Need to Talk About Kevin

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We Need to Talk About Kevin

R

Released Dec 9, 2011

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

207 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin (John C. Reilly). 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 (Rocky Duer) into a sociopathic teen (Ezra Miller), 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

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

Aug 31, 2018

Full Review

David Thomson

The New Republic

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.

Jun 19, 2013

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Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

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

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 9, 2012

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller both give exceptional performances in the film of Lionel Shriver's We Need To Talk About Kevin.

Rated: 4/5

May 9, 2024

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Ramsay’s film uses evocative imagery and a non-linear narrative structure to create a stunningly observed series of disturbing scenes, which, as the viewer pieces them together, become so filled with dread that we squirm with unease.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 4, 2022

Full Review

Juan Pablo Russo

EscribiendoCine

Without judgment, righteousness, or hopeful messages, it tells us the B side of a tragedy, the underside no one knows, but everyone opines on. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 10/10

Sep 6, 2022

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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 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 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

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Devin B

Very dark but definitely worth a watch!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/18/25

Full Review

Po P

Anyone wants to plan on seeing it in 2025, don’t. I’m usually into these kind of movies but movie leads up to nowhere. No plot twist, no graphic scenes, no tension/release. Just straight up couple people looking weird at each other.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/25

Full Review

Tyler B

It's possible to raise evil, despite all your best efforts not too.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

Full Review

Gabrielle S

This is true horror—real-life horror. This one will stick with you for a long time after watching.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/08/24

Full Review

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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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Synopsis

Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin (John C. Reilly). 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 (Rocky Duer) into a sociopathic teen (Ezra Miller), 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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