A History of Violence

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2:31

A History of Violence

R

Released Sep 30, 2005

1h 36m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

218 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

When a pair of petty criminals attempt to rob his small-town diner, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) quickly and easily kills them both. In the flush of news coverage of Tom's seemingly heroic actions, a threatening stranger named Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris) comes to town, fingering the unassuming family man as long-missing Philadelphia mobster Joey Cusack. To the horror of his wife, Edie (Maria Bello), and teenage son, Jack (Ashton Holmes), Tom finds he must confront his violent past.

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Critics Consensus

A History of Violence raises compelling and thoughtful questions about the nature of violence, while representing a return to form for director David Cronenberg in one of his more uncharacteristic pieces.

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Christy Lemire

Associated Press

The less you know about this movie before seeing it -- and you really should see it -- the better.

Apr 15, 2013

Full Review

David Denby

The New Yorker

Cronenberg's direction, mirroring the split in Tom, is alternately measured and frighteningly explosive, and, as always, he gives the movie a nasty underlay of sexual perversity.

Apr 15, 2013

Full Review

Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

This peculiarly predictable picture has been calculated, or miscalculated, to set up certain expectations, fulfill them, and then do the same thing again, thereby giving us a chance to see what's coming and, at least in theory, be shocked.

Apr 15, 2013

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Anatomy of a Scream Podcast Network

All-time performances by Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello, a stacked supporting cast, and gorgeous cinematography. This is Cronenberg's contemporary masterpiece.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 5, 2024

Full Review

Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

Cronenberg brilliantly elicits a continuum of emotions, elicits our involvement as well as our reflection. This is an astonishing feat made all the more effective by a complex and subtle performance by Vigo Mortensen...

May 21, 2024

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

In much the same manner that David Lynch deconstructed the myth of the squeaky-clean small Southern town in Blue Velvet, so too does David Cronenberg take a hatchet to the facade of bland Midwestern homeliness in A History of Violence.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 26, 2023

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So N

I don't get why people don't get this movie. It's a great movie. It's not a kitchen sink drama. It mocks that illusion actually. So David Cronenberg! It doesn't sentimentalise relationships, but at the same time keeps them at the centre of the story. The plot moves cleanly, crisply and at pace. I believe and accept all the characters in their universe and I get the balance between Tom and Edie, and I don't accept any view that criticises or judges the feelings between them. It doesn't overindulge the audience but keeps them a little at distance so they can decide where their sympathies lie. Which is maybe what some viewers don't like. And after a brief 97 minutes (who said it was slow?) it ends exactly where it should. You could ask What Next? for each one of them after the vignette concludes..

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/23/24

Full Review

Kimmi C

Well, thats 96 minutes of my life I'm not getting back! This film had a mind numbingly slow start, the most predictable middle and an awful ending. Don't bother wasting your time watching it, you'd have more fun painting your hallway then watching it dry! How this is rated so highly is beyond me!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/17/24

Full Review

Terry B

About as convincing as a 60 dollar note. Paved with predictability! This time it’s the armchair critics who’ve got it right. Don’t waste your time with it.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/29/24

Full Review

Luke C

Can’t understand how this has such a high rating, it never really got going. A thin and predictable plot, and overall not very well acted barring Ed Harris who carries the scenes he’s in. Left me wanting. Very disappointing

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/19/24

Full Review

Phillip M

Just dumb. Terrible script. Slow. Characters say one thing then do the exact opposite - stupid. This is a late Saturday night watch after many beers when your brain doesn't want to be challenged.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/05/24

Full Review

Scott H

Far and away Viggo and Ed’s best film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/06/24

Full Review

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David Cronenberg

Director

Viggo Mortensen

Tom Stall

Maria Bello

Edie Stall

William Hurt

Richie Cusack

Ashton Holmes

Jack Stall

Stephen McHattie

Leland Jones

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A History of Violence: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When a pair of petty criminals attempt to rob his small-town diner, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) quickly and easily kills them both. In the flush of news coverage of Tom's seemingly heroic actions, a threatening stranger named Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris) comes to town, fingering the unassuming family man as long-missing Philadelphia mobster Joey Cusack. To the horror of his wife, Edie (Maria Bello), and teenage son, Jack (Ashton Holmes), Tom finds he must confront his violent past.

Director: David Cronenberg
Producer: J.C. Spink, Chris Bender
Screenwriter: Josh Olson
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: Benderspink
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Sexuality|Nudity|Some Drug Use|Strong Brutal Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.5M
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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