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We Need to Talk About Kevin

Play trailer Poster for We Need to Talk About Kevin R 2011 1h 51m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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74% Tomatometer 210 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Eva Khatchadourian is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and Bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin. 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 into a sociopathic teen, Eva is forced to deal with the aftermath of her son's horrific act.
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We Need to Talk About Kevin

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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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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator 08/31/2018
It may be one of those pesky films that is awful to watch but is worth watching all the same. Oh, dear. Go to Full Review David Thomson The New Republic 06/19/2013
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. Go to Full Review Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer 03/09/2012
2.5/4
Fragmented, dreamlike, a whir of memories and misery, We Need to Talk About Kevin is unsettling, but also somehow unnecessary. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Apr 26
3/4
The low-simmer setting of the project is precisely why it stays with you. Go to Full Review KT Mahe For Your Reference Podcast Feb 11
4/5
Hard to watch but impossible to look away, Ramsay brings her signature unflinching lens to youth and family. Go to Full Review Oti For Your Reference Podcast Feb 11
4/5
Dark and unsettling, We Need to Talk About Kevin keeps you on edge, even if its constant time jumps dilute some of the emotional punch. Still, it’s a gripping, nail-biting watch anchored by brilliant performances. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Nicolas G @Samuel_Goldmann May 28 awefull to watch. watch it! See more R T @Pinagong777 May 28 clearly the mother was going through something but it doesnt excuse her actions towards her son, the father was too ignorant on the other hand. give your children love and attention, no harm in asking for help too. just dont be ignorant See more Sina K @SInak May 22 We Need to Talk About Kevin ultimately fails because it trades genuine psychological depth for unrelenting, manipulative misery. Instead of offering a nuanced look at parental anxiety, the narrative presents a cartoonishly evil villain from birth and pairs him with frustratingly oblivious parents. It is an exhausting slog through pure shock value that confuses relentless bleakness with actual profundity, leaving you feeling more punished than provoked. See more Kristofer K @kbkaizer May 13 Tilda takes us on a terrifying parenting journey, told in a way that keeps us guessing until the inevitable. See more Terry H @RT83445150 Apr 5 This one sat in my queue for a couple years and finally got around to watching it. Wasn't expecting much. But was surprised. It's a little quirky but it works for me. One of those picks up in current times with no explanation of what's going on, then slowly fills in the gaps with flashback scenes. Goes back and forth between timelines. They pulled it off well, and kept the engagement throughout. Well done. See more Steven F. @SteveGotScored Mar 8 A surprisingly shocking thriller! See more Read all reviews
We Need to Talk About Kevin

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Cast & Crew

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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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We Need to Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Eva Khatchadourian is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and Bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin. 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 into a sociopathic teen, 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