When I interviewed Tilda Swinton a few weeks ago for her new movie Julia, she mentioned that she was planning a collaboration with Morvern Callar director Lynne Ramsay. Now, at Cannes, the details on that film are starting to come together. Swinton will star as an overwhelmed New York City mother in We Need to Talk About Kevin, an adaptation of Lionel Shriver's novel.

The movie sounds insanely dark, even by Swinton's own standards of taking on unusual and challenging projects. According to Variety, Swinton's character is coping with her troubled son Kevin, who causes her a mental breakdown before going on a killing spree at his high school. Yeah, ouch. But Swinton's customary and intensity and dedication can make even the most difficult films watchable-- like Julia, for example, a brutal story about an alcoholic who kidnaps a child. Movies like this need Swinton to come in and accept the challenge.