We Need to Talk About Kevin • The Next Reel

"You don’t look happy.”“Have I ever?”Tackling a film that looks at a school shooting is a challenging prospect, but writer/director Lynne Ramsay and her co-writer Rory Stewart Kinnear decided to accept the challenge when they signed on to adapt Lionel Shriver’s book “We Need to Talk About Kevin.” The film is a tough film to watch, but the focus on the mother dealing with what her son has done allows us to explore thoughts about the role of a parent in this sort of situation, nature versus nurture, community reactions, and more. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our 10 Year Anniversaries series with Ramsay’s 2011 film We Need to Talk About Kevin.There’s a lot to talk about in We Need to Talk About Kevin.Tilda Swinton. Ezra Miller. John C. Reilly. Three incredible performances at the heart of this movie in a film full of great performances, but it’s Swinton who carries the film as we follow her on her journey to deal with what her son’s done. She’s a powerhouse in this film and takes us on quite a trip. The way Ramsay puts the film together is a key part of that too, though, because she’s dancing all through her life from the time she met her husband through to now, and we see those bits pop up like memories flitting through her mind as she debates with herself if she’s at fault.And that’s really the crux of the film. Is she at fault? She’s certainly taken the blame upon herself as we’ve seen over the course of the film that she’s never gotten along with her son. But is she right? Was he intrinsically evil already? And does that matter to her or will she always carry all these emotions and walls?It’s a strong film and one we love, despite being a very dark and challenging story. We have a great conversation about it so check it out and tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins!Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film SundriesLearn more about supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast through your own membership.Watch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatchScript TranscriptTheatrical trailerPoster artworkOriginal MaterialFlickchartLetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible