A History of Violence USA, R, 96 m, 2005
Based on a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke, A History of Violence stars Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall (a moniker that cleverly evokes the character’s reluctant demeanor), a committed family man and well-regarded denizen of a one-horse town somewhere in Indiana. One night, a couple of savage outlaws show up to rob his diner, but they wind up with pennies on their eyes after Tom responds to their gun-waving threats with a fast and furious gust of the ol’ ultra-violence. Tom is championed as a local hero, and the ensuing media hoopla catches the one good eye of a horribly disfigured mobster played by Ed Harris. He and his goons descend upon the small town, claiming that Tom is not the Capra-esque everyman he pretends to be, but rather a former wiseguy with a history of violence. Most of the violence on display here is justifiable; it erupts when Tom is forced to defend himself and his family, and the effect it has on you is almost cathartic. This is director David Cronenberg’s best work in years. November 22, 2005 © Copyright 2007 by Edward Larsen Terkelsen. all rights reserved.
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