Elements of We Need To Talk About Kevin

Elements of We Need To Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a thriller which was made in 2011 that explores the factious relationship between a mother and her evil son. Tilda Swinton plays the mother, Eva, as she contends for 15 years with the increasing malevolence of her first-born child, Kevin. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, We Need to Talk About Kevin explores nature vs. nurture on a whole new level as 

Eva's own culpability is measured against Kevin's innate evilness.

Characters: The characters in the film 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' are shown to be realistic as we see there is a family playing the role of a mum dad and a child who is shown to be evil. This is where we then see his mum is willing to see what is wrong and going on with him. This film makes viewers relate to the film as this is normal life where we see parents care for there children.

Kevin: The troubled teenage boy, deals with a lot of grief 

Tilda Swinton (Eva): Plays the mother who becomes responsible for he child's actions, who has also suffered from continued male violence from he first born child Kevin.

Celia: Kevin's sister who was involved in a car accident at the age of 6 resulting in her loosing one eye

Lenny Pugh: This is Kevin's best friend, who is disliked by his mother Eva due to her thinking that his behaviour is influenced by him.

Plot: The High school teenager Kevin Katchadourian is in prison after committing a wide range of murders at his High School also killing his father and little sister using a high tech bow and arrow set that was given to him by his farther. His mother, Eva a once-succesful travel agent, lives alone in a run-down house and works in a mall travel agency in a town near the prison where she visits Kevin. She looks back at her memories of him growing up as she tries to cope with the anger and hostility of her neighbors, who know her to be Kevin's mother. Eva never really wanted to be a mother especially to an unlovable boy who then became a murderer 

Throughout Kevin's life he has been detached and difficult. He does not bond with his mother; as a baby he cries incessantly, resists toilet training, rebuffs her attempts at affection, and shows no interest in anything. He is shown to remain an outsider from his family as he rejects all the things told to do by his mother where it comes to a point where Eva doesn't know what to do as the frustration increases. While he is still small, Eva's frustration with his intractability drives her to throw Kevin against the wall, breaking his arm. When Eva tries to talk to her husband, Frank about her increasing concern about Kevin's problems, he is shown to take no interest in his behaviour and makes up excuses which results in his actions. Their second child, Celia, is lively and cheerful who listens to what she is told to do. Kevin finally shows interest in something when Frank gives Kevin a bow and arrow set and teaches him archery. When Celia's pet is killed, and she is blinded in one eye by an incident with a caustic cleaning fluid, Eva is convinced Kevin has hurt her and her pet on purpose , while Frank insists these events were accidents and that Kevin is blameless. The suspicion that Eva has on Kevin grows and feels like he is capable in doing this to others even though we see the father disagrees. This results with his plotting and carrying out the killings of his father, Celia, his teachers, and fellow students at high school.

The film concludes on the second anniversary of the killing, when Eva visits Kevin in prison. As it is Kevins 18th birthday he is scared as he is moving to another prison. Eva continues to ask why he committed the murders but he responds to he doesn't know why. Finally we then see Eva gives Kevin a hug and says her last goodbyes before he is then away 

Lightening: The lightening throughout this movie is shown to be different from thriller movies that we see as it is shown to be based upon both bright and dark colours reflecting the emotions on the characters faces, giving us both negative and positive connotations in setting the mood. Some shots and lightening sequences have been shown below.

In the beginning we are introduced to the characters house with a window which is open. The house is shown to be dark, where light is then reflected on the curtain. This gives us the negative associations of what may happen and what to expect latter on.

The kitchen is bright empty giving the representation of a normal house. Even thought there is reflection of light in the house it also makes the viewers wonder what may happen as a big house could give negative associations as the girl sitting is alone with her back faced to us.

The light in the above image is bright however the clothes of the character (Eva) is dull and boring showing us her emotions in which this case is confused and upset.

The lightening at this stage is dark, however we see light being reflected on her face to see her emotions. The shiny effect on her face also the idea that she may be sweating and makes us wonder why she feels like this.

The lighting used on Eva face is bright. The use of the colour red reflecting upon the characters face gives the negative connotations of death, war, blood etc. Using this colour makes viewers wonder why they have been used in this case it is used to identify the characters emotions and what is going on. The background of this image is black showing us this isn't the main focus.

Camera shots:

The camera shots in this film are mostly close ups of the characters face to show expression, long shot/ wide shots to show the distance of an area (used frequently inside and outside), two shots and group shots when the family are framed together. Below are some examples shown

Close up of Eva's eye

Long shot of the prison

Above we see a Long shot is used to show great detail in the area also allowing us to see the body language of the character in this case she is slouched

Extreme Close up of Kevin's eye

Using an ECU on kevin's eyes focuses the audience's attention on a particular detail. It has the effect in concentrating an idea, emotion or atmosphere towards the audience. Using an extreme close up in thrillers help us focus on the fear and emotion represented to create a dramatic effect to a shot. This is shown through the characters eye as we see the object of a dart board, this makes viewers see that this could be linked to what happens next.

Medium close up of Eva in the supermarket

A medium close up is used to show some detail in the action taken place. This allows us to see the character from the top half of her body and expressions that are shown on her face. The background of the objects placed are red which could give the connotation that something may happen to the character Eva. 

Long shot of Eva and Franklin