Quick Flick: We Need to Talk About Kevin

Eva (Tilda Swinton) struggles with motherhood, becoming increasingly estranged from her son Kevin (Ezra Miller, in a brilliantly understated performance equalled only by Swinton), who becomes more and more destructive to his mother. While he "bonds" with his father Franklin (John C. Reilly), his chilling remarks to Eva and disturbing actions begin to send her into madness, as she struggles to maintain her love for her son. The story is well told, switching between the past and the present, where Eva is struggling to cope with the aftermath. Every incident between Kevin and Eva is exaggerated and the effect as perturbing as an act of violence, emphasised by the probing directing style which digs deep into Eva's psyche. The soundtrack is used brilliantly to juxtapose with what we see on screen, with lighthearted country music accompanying Eva's breakdown to haunting effect. The eerie ambient soundscapes that emerge towards the end are no doubt thanks to Jonny Greenwood's involvement. The piece also touches upon whose fault it all was and that unnerving doubt plays upon both Eva and the viewer. We Need to Talk About Kevin is an exhausting film to witness. It is deeply unsettling and psychologically rattling, ominously crescendoing to the destructive climax.