Tom Stall had the perfect life...until he became a hero.
An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.
- Graphic violence
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Contemporary, earnest, classical in form and grave.
- contemporarynostalgic
- earnestironic
- classical in formformally daring
- gravecomic
- sparerichly built
Who loves it, who doesn't
27 profiled raters. Loved most by The Provocateurs; disliked most by The Comfort Seekers.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is this David Cronenberg's best work?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is Viggo Mortensen the best thing in A History of Violence?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is A History of Violence too earnest?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Curator Co.'s numbers.
- Gimlyon TMDB · Sep 20187/10
Probably Cronenberg's most mundane work, but that's not even remotely a knock against _A History of Violence_. I hear tell that fans of the comic don't much like this big screen re-telling, but I've never read it, so I'm gonna go ahead and really enjoy it anyway. _Final rating:★★★½ - I really liked it. Would strongly recommend you give it your time._
Read the whole review on TMDB - CinemaSerfon TMDB · Mar 20247/10
We start with images of two rather brutal hoodlums who have robbed and massacred the staff at a roadside motel and then sort of follow them into a town where "Tom" (Viggo Mortensen) runs the diner. They stop by one afternoon, intent on causing a bit of mayhem, only to discover that their host is a bit more capable of defending himself than they'd anticipated. Quickly "Tom" is lauded as an hero, and wife "Edie" (Maria Bello) and kids "Jack" (Ashton Holmes) and "Sarah" (Heidi Hayes) are proud to have their dad at home. What he hadn't anticipated, though, is that the publicity would attract the attention of one-eyed gangster "Fogarty" (Ed Harris) who arrives and starts calling him "Joey". Who's "Joey"? Well we quickly find out that nothing is as it seems and we gradually begin to realise that the past always has an habit of catching up with you. This is a violent film, but oddly enough I felt it rather visually tame as the pieces start to fall into place and the arrival of William Hurt signals an escalation that cleverly marries the comically menacing with the somewhat predictable conclusion. There's not a great deal of dialogue here, though not quite on the Clint Eastwood scale, and
Read the whole review on TMDB - Wuchakon TMDB · Nov 20257/10
**_When a peaceable family man is backed against a wall_** Shot in the late summer/early fall of 2004, this was described by director Cronenberg as “a meditation on the human body and its relationship to violence.” It comes in the tradition of “Straw Dogs,” addressing the same issues as “Billy Jack”; namely, absolute pacifism vs limited pacifism. The former never resorts to violence, even in the face of great evil, whereas the latter strives for peace, but turns to violence when justified. The New Testament supports limited pacifism not absolute pacifism, as some mistakenly think (see Luke 12:39, for instance). Yet there’s more going on as the film explores overcoming a troubled past for a new identity while tapping into the primal self if necessary. Viggo Mortensen is great here and he described it as “one of the best movies [he's] ever been in, if not the best.” Maria Bello is effective but lost what little curves she had and looks verging on anorexic. William Hurt shows up in the last act with a wink of amusement. There are similarities to “Killshot” with Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane and Diane Lane, which came out three years later. If you like one, you’ll probably like the other.
Read the whole review on TMDB - Dr Nostromoon TMDB · Jul 20268/10
80/100 After protecting his customers by killing a couple of serial killers, the owner of a small town café is proclaimed a hero. This attracts a gangster who swears the man is a former associate and killer. Moving along at a slow and steady pace, the film does an excellent job of keeping you questioning whether he is a former assassin or simply the wrong guy. The relationships are honest, personal, and painful and the build up to the climactic end is well crafted and satisfying. Good film! -- DrNostromo.com
Read the whole review on TMDB
Cast
- Viggo MortensenTom Stall / Joey Cusack
- Maria BelloEdie Stall
- Ed HarrisCarl Fogarty
- William HurtRichie Cusack
- Ashton HolmesJack Stall
- Peter MacNeillSheriff Sam Carney
- Stephen McHattieLeland
- Greg BrykBilly
- Kyle SchmidBobby
- Sumela KayJudy Danvers
Crew
- David CronenbergDirector
- Josh OlsonScreenplay
- Peter SuschitzkyDirector of Photography
- Howard ShoreOriginal Music Composer
- Ronald SandersEditor
- J.C. SpinkProducer
- Chris BenderProducer
Where to watch
Checking availability…
Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Curator Co. Other media included when they land close.
Hard Eight 199787% alikeBoth earnest, contemporary, classical in form.
Match Point 200583% alikeBoth contemporary, classical in form, grave.
Roman J. Israel, Esq. 201782% alikeBoth contemporary, earnest, classical in form.
Limbo 199982% alikeBoth earnest, contemporary, grave.
Stillwater 202181% alikeBoth contemporary, earnest, grave.
Lantana 200180% alikeBoth contemporary, earnest, grave.
The Million Dollar Hotel 200080% alikeBoth contemporary, earnest, grave.
Léon: The Professional 199480% alikeBoth contemporary, earnest, classical in form.
Life Is Strange 2 201883% alikeGame · Both earnest, contemporary, grave.
Dept. Q 202580% alikeSeries · Both contemporary, earnest, classical in form.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Curator Co.
