03/21/06 A History Of Violence

A History Of Violence (2005), directed by David Cronenberg

watched w/ Leslie; DVD rental (Netflix) @ home

Although I've only seen a few of his films, Cronenberg has a history of not only violence, but twisted science fiction and depraved mutations of the human body & mind. Knowing his penchant for these grotesque techniques, one must find the underlying thread of morality and social discourse under a lot of his work. The beauty of a film like this one is that it displays the violence in such a quiet and poignant way (if such a thing is possible). Played subdued by Viggo Mortensen, this fable follows the family & community life of one hard-working diner owner named Tom. Tom is faced with the sudden danger of robbers and weapons, exploding in what seems to be a heroic flash of brilliance against them. However, as media and public attention is shifted his way, his new found fame brings some very bad men looking for him...believing him to be a fellow bad guy himself. People (including his wife and kids) begin to suspect what the truth is, which unleashes the depths of Tom's former life of violence. Not only a taught thriller, it also showcases the emotional scars left on a family under severe circumstances. Although William Hurt's bad guy bossman is such a small role, it eanred him a well deserved Oscar nom. Ed Harris is another great bad dude too. Full of bad boys & good acting, and the occasional Cronenberg depravity.

4 out of 5 stars