A History Of Violence

Adapted from a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke, A History of Violence portrays Tom, an owner of a diner living a happy and quiet life. His small-town idyllic existance changes abruptly when he in an act of self-defence kills two wanted criminals. Tom becomes a local hero and is unwillingly placed in the spotlight of national media attention and returning to normal life proves to be more difficult than he imagined. When he tries to get out of the publicity he is confronted by a man who claims to have been wronged by Tom in the past. Tom fights back but finds himself swept up in a world of secrets, deceptions, and a considerable amount of violence. With seemingly little effort, and with great confidence, Cronenberg tells a compelling tale of haunted pasts and borrowed identities. The film deals not only with one man’s history, but also touches the greater theme of humanity’s everlasting relationship with violence. ROLAND MADARÁSZ