Tom Stall is living a happy and quiet life with his lawyer wife and their two children in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana, but one night their idyllic existence is shattered when Tom foils a vicious attempted robbery in his diner. Sensing danger, he takes action and saves his customers and friends in the self-defense killings of two-sought-after criminals. Heralded as a hero, Tom's life is changed overnight, attracting a national media circus, which forces him into the spotlight. Uncomfortable with his newfound celebrity, Tom tries to return to the normalcy of his ordinary life only to be confronted by a mysterious and threatening man who arrives in town believing Tom is the man who's wronged him in the past. As Tom and his family fight back against this case of mistaken identity and struggle to cope with their changed reality, they are forced to confront their relationships and the divisive issues which surface as a result.

Words almost fail me that was how awesome the movie was. It was like flicking the switch of a light much like Tom Stall’s character does when in jeopardy, the movie went from something you weren’t sure about to something so engrossing you were drawn into the story and the characters so fully there is no escape. The story is about a man who through an act of heroism is forced to face a past that may or may not be his own and through the violence he commits is forced to face violence of truly violent men. The violence he commits for ever changes his family, his life and regardless of the mistake identity he must face up to what he has done and what it is doing to him. That’s powerful, the story is simple that of a mistaken identity but the meaning is very deep about how violence can change one’s life forever and inexplicably. The movie is not for the faint of heart as it can be graphic and it can be intense but the movie also is powerful and highly enjoyable and one of the best movies this year.

Viggo Mortensen might be the best actor that will come out of the Lord of the Rings fame much like Harrison Ford did with Star Wars. He is the movie, the movie isn’t even remotely possible without him as he sells the character so well even though for most of the movie he is very understated. That’s part of why it works, he is so quiet and so calm and likeable and then all of a sudden like the light switch being hit he is intense and even a little bit scary. I think I am going to look forward to any role he is in the near future, he was that good. He completely enthralled me and drew me in, the movie doesn’t even begin tell his character truly changes and evolves. I was impressed by Maria Bello performance as well as she complements Viggo so well, she is kind of like the lighting rod of the movie that almost draws the violence. Although sadly they don’t truly develop her character as she is more used as a setup for Viggo character, so in the end you don’t know truly where she stands. The movie is dark, its is deep, it is action packed, it is sensual at times as well and it can teach a lesson if you want to listen.
5 stars out of 5