We Need To Talk About Kevin

[Nook]

I watched this a couple of months ago, and as a parent I felt extremely uncomfortable watching it, but I was so glad I did. It was stomach churning and heart-wrenching, watching the Mother (Tilda Swinton gave an excellent performance) slowly come to terms she has a psychopathic child, Kevin.

Was the Mother with her controlling influences, partly responsible for her sons condition or was he one of the 1% (probably more) of psychopaths? I don't know.

In many ways the biggest lesson for me, was even in the end with Mom chilling out abit and Kevin apparently displaying some empathy - I still couldn't make an accurate appraisal.

Thats a scary thought when there are at least 7,000,000 psychopaths on the planet!!! :O

6% is probably more accurate as far as Essential Psychopaths go according to Lobaczewski.

I'm inclined to agree with Puck. I think it shows more how a psychopathic child can turn a mother into a wreck over years while she's doubting her own judgement and refuses to believe that she gave birth to a psychopath.

I also didn't like the ending where he shows remorse and hugs her mother in jail.

One thing I didn't get in the movie is the red paint on the front porch of her house after the incident. Why did her neighbors - presumably - do that? Because she was the only one left alive in the family? Because she didn't do anything about it while she still could have?

 

[SeekinTruth]

6% is probably more accurate as far as Essential Psychopaths go according to Lobaczewski.

Haven't seen the movie, but wanted to mention, from my understanding, the 6% figure given by L in PP was all psychopathies combined, if I remember correctly. Essential psychopaths made up somewhere up to 1%. Could others confirm this, please?

 

[Gary]

I have Political Ponerology on my festive reading list, but I am sure the figure of 1% is generally accepted as the percentage of population that is genetically psychopathic. Hence, if my maths is correct, with a 7 billion current population, that is 70 million psychopaths (not 7 million as I stated).

But surely the most significant point is not so much whether it's 1 or 6% - but that (as I currently understand it) these individuals cannot be treated. There is no cure for them. Whenever psychopathy seems to have been diagonosed, (and I am not sure whether there is a foolproof, scientific diagnostic tool) it is invariably after the damage has been done.

So, applying a more holistic approach, of prevention rather than cure - having knowledge of psychopaths and their power structures is first essential, then providing an alternative based on self knowledge, networking and pursuit of transparent science seems the only solution.

'Kevin' may show remorse - but if he is a genetically psycho - is can only be a mask.

'Kevin' is a world leader, CEO, robberbaron banker - and the seemingly charitable little lady next door :)

70 million of them. Food for thought indeed! :)

 

[mkrnhr]

They cannot be treated because they are not sick. Basically, they are what they are.

 

[Nook]

6% is probably more accurate as far as Essential Psychopaths go according to Lobaczewski.

Haven't seen the movie, but wanted to mention, from my understanding, the 6% figure given by L in PP was all psychopathies combined, if I remember correctly. Essential psychopaths made up somewhere up to 1%. Could others confirm this, please?

I have Political Ponerology on my festive reading list, but I am sure the figure of 1% is generally accepted as the percentage of population that is genetically psychopathic. Hence, if my maths is correct, with a 7 billion current population, that is 70 million psychopaths (not 7 million as I stated).

afaik, other psychopathies can also be genetic.

'Kevin' may show remorse - but if he is a genetically psycho - is can only be a mask.

We know this but unfortunately, this point is not made in the movie that it's only a mask.

 

[Kreu]

I was looking forward to this movie for a long time because I think the book is excellent in its own, horrifying way. It is one of my favourite books, it's very well written. I would strongly recommend reading it, it is so much deeper than the movie and really shows how Kevin's mother has to deal with having a child that is from the very start "not right".

I think a lot of people were confused by the movie because it tried very hard to follow the book which is admirable but hard because so many important parts are missing. It's very clear in the book that it is indeed Kevin who pours acid into his sisters eye, and his mother's struggle getting her husband to accept this fact, which he never does. The book explains why the neighbours act the way they do and her fear of dealing with them. The scene when Kevin and Eva have dinner together is very interesting, he plays mind games with her extensively and it is fascinating to read. Also the way she writes letters to her deceased husband... I don't want to give too much away because I don't want to spoil it for someone looking for a good, interesting and moving read, IMHO.

:)

 

[whitecoast]

On the other end of this spectrum there is another great movie with Michelle Pfiefer called "White Oleander" about the child growing with toxic narcissist or perhaps borderline psychopath parent.

I highly enjoyed white oleander as well. It certainly depicted the myriad ways in which parents may use their children (in a non-sexual way) and the lessons the child can learn in each situation. As for Kevin, I haven't seen it yet... Too many other good movies out there!

 

[loreta]

I saw the movie yesterday with a group in my library. After the movie there was a little debate and I was happy surprised to see that people there were agreeing that when in face of a psychopath you can not change him and that psychopaths are not made but born psychopath. And that the boy was a psychopath.

I found the movie very hard and strong. But not very clear with the message, at the end. I liked the scenario very much. The character of the mother is strange, her coldness can make us confused about if she was responsible to have a monster like his son. But the movie in fact I think talk more about the mother then the kid. About the consequences if you not take action when you have a kid that is not normal at all. Her passivity was too much, I wanted to yell. But we can feel her solitude, her desperation and how alone she was in front of this terrible situation.