A History of Violence **

So, I've been to see the new David Cronenburg film this evening. I had high expectations, having read several reviews, but they were not met. This film had such potential as an idea but just didn't hang together properly for me, I kept saying to myself "it wouldn't happen like this". It is as though the makers thought they'd try everything; cheesy schmultz, full on violence, raunchy sex, bung it all in and we'll see what comes out.

The idea is a good one, the hero runs a diner in Indiana somewhere and makes the news having most effectively dealt with a couple of no-goods who wander in to his establishment and try to make trouble. The thing is that he has been just a little too effective and members of the mob from his previous life and from whom he has been in hiding, are able to track him down, thereby pissing off him and the other members of his idyllic rural family. So things escalate and at times I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to be laughing or scared. This disorientation was accentuated by the casting; Maria Bello was all over the place as the hero's wife and William Hurt has brilliantly played dithering and indecisive too many times to make the transition to mob boss.

This film should have been made by the Cohen brothers or even Luc Besson, at least it would have known what it was.

It's main redeeming feature was that it held my attention till the end, who knew what silly thing was going to happen next?