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We Need To Talk About Kevin

What is we need to talk about kevin?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Year 2011[1]
Director Lynne Ramsay[1]
Based on We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver[1]
Starring Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller[1]
Runtime 112 minutes[1]

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a 2011 psychological drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay, based on Lionel Shriver's 2003 novel, about a mother grappling with her son's violent actions.

Context

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a 2011 psychological drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay and based on the 2003 novel by Lionel Shriver [1]. It stars Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, and Ezra Miller [1]. The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and was released in the UK on 21 October 2011 [1]. The story follows Eva, a travel writer, and her troubled relationship with her son Kevin, who becomes a sociopathic teen [3].

Documented claims

  • The film premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. [1]
  • It was released in the United Kingdom on 21 October 2011. [1]

Questions and answers

What mental illness did Kevin have in We Need to Talk About Kevin?

The film does not specify a mental illness; it portrays Kevin as a sociopathic teen [3].

What was the message behind We Need to Talk About Kevin?

The film explores themes of blame and responsibility, focusing on a mother's question of how much blame she deserves for her son's violence [2].

Is We Need to Talk About Kevin a true story?

No, it is based on a 2003 novel by Lionel Shriver, not a true story [1].

Sources

  1. We Need to Talk About Kevin - Apple TV — tv.apple.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Watch We Need to Talk About Kevin | Netflix — netflix.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. We Need to Talk About Kevin — rottentomatoes.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Entertainment