Review of We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) by Michael G — 15 Nov 2016

I'm not gonna try sound super educated about films or use metaphors and references from a long history of literature study. I'm just gonna give my opinion. So bear with me if you disagree.

Firstly I found the cinematography contrived at the start, self indulgent perhaps. We aren't shown what the character is feeling. Just shown a feeling. Also, the blood motif really starts getting old quite early in. But most disturbingly is how disturbed Kevin is from the start. He's clearly evil from age 5 and no one's really bothered about the reasons why. A hearing specialist seems to think he' so I guess he must be. Kids arent born evil, there are reasons why they do what they do, genetic or otherwise. And it doesn't seem to run in the family because Lucy is an absolute angel. What are Kevin's influences? A violent video game and Robin hood? Surely there were a few more books he read or movies he watched to push him to the point of mass murder. It like it was just sort of game. It really didn't sell.

In my skewed opinion Ursula delivers a better performance than Tilda. Oh and why John C Riley? He hardly suits the role. His performance isn't bad. It's just weird seeing him trying to be serious. Also young Kevin doesn't convince as he seems to have some Asian blood in him which neither John nor Tilda seem to share.

I guess I'm not as concerned story as I am with characters. But it really bothers me how oversimplified the story is especially as it's about such a real epidemic that has hit the US so recently. Usually these kidsmare withdrawn, bullied, dealing with deep internal struggles. Kevin is just a psychopath through and through. His parents know it but just don't do anything about it. He shot his kid sister. He doesn't deserve that hug at the end. But perhaps that was just mom trying to make herself feel better because she kind of thinks it's her own fault. She's not entirely innocent.

If there's one truth this movie conveys, it's that bad parenting creates bad kids. But I guess it doesn't help if your child was born a psychopath.

Apologies for rant. I'm quite happy if you disagree ;).