Tom Stall (Mortensen) is a loving family man and well-respected citizen of a small Indiana town. When two savage criminals show up at his diner, Tom is forced to take action and thwart the robbery attempt. Tom is instantly heralded as a hero - the little guy who had the courage to stand up to crime. As word begins to spread of his heroism people from far and wide start to look up to Tom as a man of high moral regard, but this newfound prominence attracts the attention of some unsavoury types that claim Tom is more than hes letting on...

This is a movie worth seeing without knowing too much about it, but rest assured that not a moment is wasted in this taut thriller. David Cronenberg has honed the art of the thriller to the perfect assault on the psyche. Don't let his name put you off though, he's left behind much of his usual pensive depravity and science fiction in favour of a very focussed dramatic sledgehammer.

Lord of the Rings may be the movie that earned Viggo Mortensen pin-up status, but A History of Violence is the movie you'll remember him for.