'We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)' is almost like a puzzle, one that doesn't have a definitive solution but is an enigma nonetheless. It unravels itself in a loose, dynamic way in which the very fabric of the film is used as a canvas for the central character's trauma to be splashed across the screen, explored in a volatile and vibrant way that gives a real sense of some sort of post-traumatic stress. This is not a film that holds your hand, nor is it even interested in answering any of the questions it asks, not directly anyway. Instead, it portrays its perhaps controversial events in a dream-like fashion, exuding a sense of an inescapable past that might as well be happening now. It's like our protagonist is wading through a waking nightmare, unable to move on from the events that shape the film both in her head and on the streets. It's a fantastic decision, then, to put us directly in that mindset, to force us to face her fears as she does the same. We are never outside of this story, never above its characters. Instead, we are right there with them, behind their eyes, seeing exactly what they see and still just as powerless to stop it. Not only is the direction, and the decision to edit it non-linearly, perfect, but so are the performances. The eponymous kid is quite creepy, though only in the most mundane of senses, and we simultaneously feel sorry for him, want to empathise with him and truly fear him. It's only natural to be afraid of what you can't understand and the central debate, of nature vs nurture, is expertly told almost exclusively through visuals. Until, that is, the feature's only misstep, which is still a minor one, that sees the final scene dip deeper into dialogue than ever before and almost over-explain it all. Thankfully, restraint takes hold before this sequence reaches its tipping point, so it just sticks out as its most unsuccessful moment as opposed to a totally tone-deaf and destructive one. In the end, we are perhaps no closer to understanding why the events of the film happened the way they did. Certainly, there are theories you can come up with, little hints here and there that could suggest motive. That's perhaps its most realistic aspect, though. The lack of a proper, and inherently cinematic, resolution that ties everything up in a little bow. Real life isn't like that. It's messy and sometimes it doesn't make sense. People do things without good reasons, regardless of their mentalities. The lack of a definitive answer is the best full-stop the feature could have provided. Because if we want to understand the character, and prevent things like this from continuing to happen in real-life, we need to talk about Kevin. 7/10

In a time today, where an alarming rate of violence and acts of rage are outbreaking in our society ( school shootings being number one problem, in my opinion), We Need To Talk About Kevin is a very important film by todays standards. In can be difficult to watch, however, I loved the movie for mulitple reasons. All the actors and actresses nailed their roles, hands down! For people who shift all the blame on violent video games, music, TV shows when a violent act occurs by a child, I encourage you to watch this movie, and realize once and for all that this is not always the case. Nobody did anything to make this boy hateful, and so full of anger. The mother saw the signs, however, his facade was kept hidden very carefully from the father, who did not see the signs. Every time she wants to have the talk with dad about Kevin, he reassures that he is fine, he is just a kid, leave him alone. He's convinced nothing is wrong. He is wrong. Something is very, very wrong with Kevin. The movie explores an emotionally exhausted mother trying everything she can to bond with her troubled son, but he is showing no signs of interest, comfort, love, or caring towards his mother. He does not want to play with her. As he gets older, the tension does not go away, as the film carefully progresses through the stages of the childs life. From infancy, to the brutal act commited in his late teens, WNTTAK pulls no punches, and delivers the terrifying truth about some children today. Emotional, disturbing as hell, but it is a very important film for todays audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie. I have not read the book and while I would be really curious to read it, too, I would prefer to comment on what made the movie special to me.Looking through online reviews, the question that everyone seems to see as the most pressing is the nature vs. nurture one, the guilt question: Has Kevin's mum turned him into a psychopath (is she the true perpetrator) or was he one by birth (is she the victim)? and there seem to be equal amounts of viewers in both camps.For me the true topic cuts through this question, it's more about their relationship. Kevin only shows his true face to his mum, who becomes his complicit in his double life when the show he puts up for everybody else starts including cover-ups of her own parenting failures. He stages normalcy towards everybody else but he torments her, provoking her rejection which she readily provides, and thereby they form a secret relationship that is based on mutual emotional rejection, which is terrible, but at least it's not built on pretense. It becomes clear that he 'has it from her' in some sens of the word, and he is very aware of that. But it also is clear that she is quite high-functioning in most sectors of life including relationships, whereas he is deeply disordered, antisocial or a psychopath.Who cares if it's genetic or acquired, who cares which one of the two "started" their toxic way of relating to one another. Sure, there is the hypothetical question of what would have happened had she admitted her crimes (like breaking his arm) and sought help early on, but for me it's not the point of the movie. I see the topic here as the bonding and mutual acceptance of two disordered human beings in mutual rejection. In the end they only have one another. Because even when still alive, the lovely daughter and simple-minded husband don't 'get it', they don't get either of the two. This bond and how it's portrayed is really unique and special and very well done.

I could NOT even leave the room while this film was on. Every word was important, every glance, every nuance. Stellar performance by Ezra Miller and Jacob Miller. Tilda Swinton was living her character. Not able to connect, but wanting to. The family's relationships were so palpable and clearly defined that I was only breathing when she did. Lynne Ramsay has created a memorable film about a subject that needed attention, and although this was not an easy film, it was substantial and finely tailored. Seriously cerebral, thank you Tribeca Short list for a new favorite.