a history of violence (2005). directed by david cronenberg.

we are surrounded by violence in our life, whether we are aware of it or not. tom stall (viggo mortensen) is a quiet family man operating a diner is a small town in indiana. he looks harmless, a loving husband and a caring father, and an upright citizen whom the townsfolk take in as one of their own. he seems to come from nowhere, but his wife doesn't mind. things change when his diner is attacked by a couple of ruffians and he single handedly defeated them. it was as if he knows what to do, or had handled this kind of situation before. hailed as the town's hero, more bad people come to pay him a visit, demanding some debts to be paid from an unknown past. 

in the film we will see scenes in which violence is employed in everyday situation. stall's son is bullied at school - at first he got away by being meek and funny, later on he chose to fight the bullies and broke their noses. we resort to violence to defend ourselves in tight situations, and honour people who engage in fights as our heros. sex is a form of violence done in anger, as seen in the famous scene at the stairs. there is no love - but disgust, it was like stall and his wife wanted to hurt each other. last but not least, violence as a last resort for survival. stall had to kill everyone who threatens his idyllic life as a means of self preservation. however violence is in essence nihilist and senseless, shown at the beginning of the film, when two criminals slayed people in a motel...for mere water.  

is it innate, violence? cronenberg is saying, violence is survival of the fittest. not a pretty thing, but necessary, nevertheless.