Thursday Film Club: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Based on the acclaimed novel by Lionel Shriver, the film explores the harrowing aftermath of a high school massacre through the eyes of Eva (Swinton), the mother of the teenage perpetrator. Told in fragmented flashbacks, the story pieces together the uneasy relationship between mother and son, raising unsettling questions about nature versus nurture.

Ezra Miller stars as Kevin, portraying the character from a manipulative, calculating child to a deeply disturbed teenager with unsettling charisma. His performance, alongside Jasper Newell and Rock Duer who play Kevin at younger ages, adds layers of tension and ambiguity to the film’s dark themes. John C. Reilly provides a grounded counterpoint as Franklin, Kevin’s well-meaning but oblivious father, rounding out a cast that delivers emotional weight and complexity.

Duration:
1 hour 52 minutes

Important Information:
This film is classified as a “15” certificate in the UK.