Movie Haiku - A History Of Violence

www.historyofviolence.com


Dir: David Cronenberg


Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris


Have a go hero

kills two men in his cafe

is he someone else?


The trailer tells you all that you need to know about A History Of Violence. Tom Stall (Mortensen) is a family man living in a quiet neighbourhood. When a couple of thugs try to rob his diner, Tom stands up to them and in the ensuing melee kills them in self defence. He's hailed a hero by the town, but Tom just wants to get back to his normal life with his loving wife Edie (Bello) and two kids. Then Carl Fogaty (Harris) and his goons turn up at the diner and Carl is insistent that Tom is really someone else. That someone else is Joey from Philadelphia, the guy that attacked Carl with barbed wire and cost him his left eye. Does Tom harbour a secret past or is he an innocent drawn into the world of mob violence after one moment of heroism? It's an intriguing premise that works best the less you know about story, as you're never quite sure where the film is going to head - it certainly didn't play out to my expectations. This is not a flashy movie, it's a deliberately paced, thoughtful film that takes a normal man and places him in exceptional circumstances, with the emphasis on how violence affects him, and the people closest to him. Yes, there are violent scenes within the film but they're brief, sudden bouts - albeit sickening - that feel real, not exploitative to feed an audience's bloodlust. Cronenberg's direction is understated and intelligent, giving the story and its characters time to breathe. There's none of his trademark body-horror weirdness here - this is perhaps his most linear, commercial film to date. The slow, atmospheric build up during the first half of the picture - as Carl keeps making veiled threats towards Tom's family - is note perfect. However, the latter stages of the film, with the introduction of Joey's friend Richie (Hurt), seem rushed and lacking in conviction by comparison - which will come as a disappointment to those who've read John Wagner & Vince Locke's graphic novel upon which the film is based. Nevertheless, A History Of Violence still succeeds in its intentions and is a film that you'll want to discuss as soon as you've left the cinema. Special praise should be given to Viggo Mortensen who in his portrayal of Tom gives a career best performance. Bello follows her role in The Cooler with another strong female part where she again has to confront scenes of an explicitly violent and sexual nature. Ashton Holmes also shines as Tom's son, empowered to stand up against his own bullies after his father's display of courage. This is not your typical Cronenberg movie, it's not even your typical horror-thriller, it's just an intelligent story about one man and how he faces up to the violence in his life.

soulmining rating: ****