We Need to Talk About Kevin

     Some people go to movies to escape their everyday life, but I also turn to movies and books as a way to educate myself and find perspective. That is how I came upon We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011). I will try not to give too much away, but I am going to give as much detail as I feel necessary to depict the gist of the movie and my feelings after watching it.

    The movie centers around a woman, her husband, their son and their daughter. At times it is hard to follow because the story is told from the vantage point of the mother and is laden with flashbacks. Eva (the mother) is a very solitary woman, and at the center of that solitude is her troubled relationship with her son. Eva has always known something was off about Kevin. Throughout the movie, she tries to express her concerns to her husband, her son's doctor, etc. and is constantly told that he is just a typical boy. But Kevin seems to take pleasure in taunting her and the acts of violence he exhibits towards his sister only get worse as he gets older. The husband, Franklin, seems to live in his own reality and thinks everything is great with his family. He is, frankly (pun intended), clueless. Celia, the daughter, appears to be a normal, charismatic child. Eva floats through various stages of shock, confusion and disconnection throughout the course of the movie. Well, as you can probably guess by now, some bad shit goes down.

     I watched this movie several months ago, and I must say, it has left a long-lasting impression. It is a story that could be taken from the pages of any present day news publication, and that is why it scared the hell out of me. Mental illness is so freaking unpredictable. As parents, we want to think the very best of our children, but we also need to make sure that our concerns are voiced and heard. To live our lives in an imaginary world where we feel bad things can't ever happen is irresponsible parenting. It is our responsibility as parents of mentally ill children to observe, assess and do what is necessary to protect our family. If your child has violent tendencies, do not ignore them. 

Some other movies that are worth a watch that I feel somewhat accurately depict mental health issues:
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Girl Interrupted (1999)
Prozac Nation (2001)
Black Swan (2010)
Waking Madison (2010)
Melancholia (2011)
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013)