A Vigilante

We meet the main character, played by Olivia Wilde, during one of her home "interventions": she is beating senseless a man who was abusing his wife, so as to make sure he'll no longer pose a threat. As the plot develops, we see other similar situations while, at the same time, gradually discovering what motivated her to become a lone avenger. The story brings to mind  Kill Bill, but Daggar-Nickson's film has none of its comic-book feel. A Vigilante is painfully realistic: the action takes place in gloomy suburbs during a harsh winter, at roadside motels and in bars and parking lots somewhere in New York state. The film doesn't treat violence lightly or use it for entertainment purposes; instead, it is the only tool available to women who could not otherwise escape their toxic relationships. The subject matter is very much in tune with the times, but there's nothing journalistic about it. A Vigilanteis something to see: the rare movie in which lone justice offers a catharsis that could be described as honest, wrote  Variety following the film's premiere at the South by Southwest Festival.