We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Kevin's mother struggles to love her strange child, despite the increasingly vicious things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined.

Director:

Lynne Ramsay

Writers:

Lynne Ramsay (screenplay), Rory Kinnear (screenplay),

Stars:

Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 17 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tilda Swinton	...	Eva Khatchadourian
John C. Reilly	...	Franklin
Ezra Miller	...	Kevin, Teenager
Jasper Newell	...	Kevin, 6-8 Years
Rock Duer	...	Kevin, Toddler (as Rocky Duer)
Ashley Gerasimovich	...	Celia
Siobhan Fallon	...	Wanda (as Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
Alex Manette	...	Colin
Kenneth Franklin	...	Soweto
Leslie Lyles	...	Smash Lady
Paul Diomede	...	Corrections Officer Al
Michael Campbell	...	Corrections Officer
J. Mallory McCree	...	Prison Boy (as J. Mal McCree)
Mark Elliot Wilson	...	Eva's Lawyer
James Chen	...	Dr. Foulkes

Storyline

Eva Khatchadourian is trying to piece together her life following the "incident". Once a successful travel writer, she is forced to take whatever job comes her way, which of late is as a clerk in a travel agency. She lives a solitary life as people who know about her situation openly shun her, even to the point of violent actions toward her. She, in turn, fosters that solitary life because of the incident, the aftermath of which has turned her into a meek and scared woman. That incident involved her son Kevin Khatchadourian, who is now approaching his eighteenth birthday. Eva and Kevin have always had a troubled relationship, even when he was an infant. Whatever troubles he saw, Franklin, Eva's complacent husband, just attributed it to Kevin being a typical boy. The incident may be seen by both Kevin and Eva as his ultimate act in defiance against his mother.

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Plot Keywords:

travel agency | defiance | travel writer | boy | alienation | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violence and behavior, some sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official site [United Kingdom]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 2011 (UK)

Also Known As:

Tenemos que hablar de Kevin

Filming Locations:

Buñol, Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$24,587 (USA) (9 December 2011)

Gross:

$1,738,692 (USA) (18 May 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, UK Film Council, Footprint Investment Fund

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the second movie where the assumed death of John C. Reilly's daughter's pet rodent is a key plot point. The other movie is Carnage.

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Goofs

During one of the close ups of the maps decorating Eva's wall, as the camera moves upward you can see its shadow on the wall.

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Quotes

Eva: You just can't get uncomfortable enough can you?
Kevin: Uncomfortable? With my own mother?

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits.

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Connections

Features Happy Days (1974)

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Soundtracks

"Farewell to My Concubine"
Performed by Liu Fang
Used by permission

User Reviews

We need to talk about screen play

I have just watched the film on Sky having missed it when it came out at the cinema. Was expecting much better to be honest. It ought to be renamed 'We need to talk about Screen play' as the whole film, despite the interesting subject material, just didn't flow and the very short scenes and flashbacks were more irritating than anything. Other reviewers have talked about acting awards and I'm not saying the acting is poor but there are not enough range of emotions here to judge whether it is good acting or just going through the motions. The music accompanying the scenes is poorly chosen and just doesn't fit. The constant returning to the front of house clean up is tedious beyond belief and I found the the big culmination scene a massive let down. Overall,great subject material ruined by very poor screen play.