The Stanford Prison Experiment (Review)

The Stanford Prison Experiment (Film Review) 2015

Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Starring Ezra Miller and Billy Crudup

The Stanford Prison Experiement is an independent drama which follows the notorious 1971 psychological experiment carried out by Dr. Philip Zambardo. 15 applicants are randomly assigned the roles of prisoners or guards to participate in a simulated jail setting over the period of two weeks. The experiment, and the film, act as an exploration of the transformation of human nature under negative circumstances.

The film's introduction is a beautifully filmed process of printing the advertisements for the experiment, completely devoid of any human features, already highlighting the deindividuation faced by both the ''prisoners'' and the ''guards'' involved in the experiment.

The cast mainly consists of young men, already established in the acting world. Ezra Miller (We Need To Talk About Kevin, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) stands out as a very strong actor, along with Tye Sheridan (Mud, X-Men) and Johnny Simmons (The Perks of Being a Wallflower). The acting adds a level of needed realism, to drive home the fact that this experiment did actually occur, and that this is definitely human nature.

The film did have a minor downfall with pacing. Some scenes, although many of these were intentional, were very repetitive, and not very interesting to watch. While other scenes, such as the sequence involving ''parole'' should have been prolonged. I personally did not feel 100% interested throughout.

The Stanford Prison Experiment is an intriguing psychological study with stellar acting, but not a consistently engaging film. Although I doubt all viewers will feel the same way, I consider it a negative trait. The film is enjoyable, but disturbing, and I recommend it to those interested in psychology and human behaviour.

7.5/10.

Rated 15a, runtime 122 minutes.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (Review)

We Need to Talk About Kevin (Film Review) 2011

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a 2011 drama film directed by Lynne Ramsay, and starring Tilda Swinton, John. C Reilley, and Ezra Miller.

Eva (Tilda Swinton) lives in social seclusion following her son, Kevin's (Ezra Miller) monstrous crime. This crime against humanity is revealed near the end of the film. This puts emphasis on the aftermath of crime, rather than the crime itself, focusing solely on the psychological impact it had on Eva, and the events leading up to it. The narrative is mixed with a reverse-linear series of flashbacks leading up to the reveal, Kevin, from infancy to mid-teenage years.

The cinematography is extraordinary. The colours red and blue dictate the mood of every scene. Many colour cues are present all throughout the film, leading to very interesting analysis. The introduction scene is entirely red, a very interesting visual choice, but one that beautifully introduces the film. 

An outstanding performance from Tilda Swinton. Her character seems so genuine, and so genuinely psychologically disturbed. Likewise with Ezra Miller and Kevin. The child-actors for the flashback narrative are also great, very rare for serious films such as these. They all even look and act similar. I had no issues with John. C Reilly or any of the other cast.

The plot is skillfully constructed, along with being overall very intriguing and captivating. The film has a definite focus on psychology, exploring the reasons why Kevin committed such acts, along with the psychological damage of Eva. The question nature vs. nurture is explored throughout. Was Kevin born a psychopath, or socially excluded?

In conclusion, We Need to Talk About Kevin is a technically and visually superb film. Its exploration of psychology should intrigue those interested. The film is perfected by the performances of Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller. Overall, an excellent film.

I give We Need to Talk About Kevin 10/10.

Rated 15, runtime 112 minutes.