Keven's Movie Review: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

Ezra Miller scares the crap out of me. The unbelievable tension and horror that builds throughout We Need to Talk About Kevin is at times palpable to the point of uncomfortable agony. This independent thriller will keep you in it's grasp right from the start, and hold you tight until it's melancholic finish.

It's criminal that neither the young Ezra Miller nor Tilda Swinton, who I feel just gave the best performance of her career, were not recognized at this year's Golden Globes. Not much of the public has had a chance to see We Need to Talk About Kevin and that's downright a shame. The film follows a mother's long battle with raising her troubled child. It is told in flashbacks as we see Swinton struggle to get through every day life as she's hounded by various people in her neighborhood for untold but, always hinted at, actions of her now imprisoned son. Throughout the story we see a mother become fed up with her disobedient child, and repeatedly reaching her breaking points.

I try not to say Kevin is thoroughly 'evil', because how can a child simply be born 'evil'? Is 'evil' a taught mindset? The film does not try to answer these questions, but all of the evidence and signs appear to point to the former. Personally, I'm not so sure when I look back at the film as a whole. I'm not sympathizing with a psychopath, just trying to dig deeper into the mind of someone who does such horrific things. Neglectful and selfish parenting and even subtle signs of abuse don't justify a child's reasoning for lashing out, but maybe there was more to Kevin's actions. It's hard to say, even as the movie comes to a close.

Watching Swinton harassed to the point of violence shocked me, as I don't understand how a parent can be judged so severely for the actions of her child. It's an intriguing concept and it's truly sad to watch unfold throughout the movie as we're shown flashbacks of Swinton and her family. We see a mother struggle to calm a screaming baby, battle with potty training and try to come to grips with her growing son Kevin's complete lack of, in a word, humanity. And don't forget to look for John C. Reilly's understated performance as an ignorant father just trying to get by.

The film is artfully filmed and beautifully scored, but it never goes completely off the rails hiding it's true atrocities. We indeed see 'what' Kevin did and how this family completely dissolves after his brutal crime. Watching these terrifying events unfold is gut-wrenching and by the time we see Swinton walk outside to see the sprinklers on her lawn - it's downright heartbreaking. Miller's performance of Kevin reminded me of Ryan Gosling's older work when he was just starting out. If this is any indication, we've just seen the cinematic birth of one hell of an actor who is destined for greatness.

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a disturbing, unflinching look into the life of a homicidal teenager's uprising. It is insightful, tragic and astoundingly well acted on all fronts. It's a pulse pounding and gripping drama that grabs you and does not let go until the credits are rolling, for better or worse. Do not miss this film as it truly is one of, if not the most underrated, gems of 2011.