History of Violence, A (BD) [Blu-ray]

This movie was better than I thought it would be. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Great drama movie

AAA+++

Kept me on the edge of my seat. Some unexpected elements in a fairly well used plot.

As Viggo is most notably Aragorn in "Lord of the Rings", and had a strong character in "The Hunt for Red October" I haven't found too many of his movies to be that great. This one will surprise and puts him back on top but in a uniquely different manner from his priors as mentioned above. I didn't like his zombie contribution in 'The Road' but then I don't like zombie movies.Without giving spoilers, I'll say that he and the supporting Ed Harris, give us a stellar performance where his character is quite believable. His world gets turned upside down and transforms him into someone else entirely. Something his family now has to cope with and there's some great moments there.A great performance by Viggo...

A movie with strong religious overtone. Viggo Mortensen plays Joey Cusack a Philadelphia mob killer who is "very good at killing." Early in his life he alludes to a religious experience, later saying he spent three days in the desert (Jesus endured three temptations during his forty days in the desert) becoming a new and better man; and also changes his name to "Tom Stall." He marries, raises a family, and lives quietly in a small town. The crucifix he wares is shown numerous times in the movie. When some homicidal vermin come into his restaurant to rob and kill, the "old Joey" comes back and quickly and efficiently dispatches the two scum..he IS good at killing. This draws the attention of his creepy brother, a mob boss big shot who is pissed at him b/c the "old Joey" messed up a "made man," casting a pall on his ambitious brother re mob higher ups. Joey must make a journey back into hell to deal with his brother after his family is threatened. Initially there to make peace, his "brother" makes clear his intent to kill Joey who again must fight for his life with a brutal efficiency (clearly a talent) that was part of his earlier life. All to frequently knowing how, and when, to fight is good...most guys understand this. The part of the move that was disappointing to me was the heartlesness of his wife and older son, there seems to be no forgiveness in their eyes or manner. Far from supporting her loving husband (whoever he was in a previous life) she is more worried about the "family name;" than her husband's life...there is coldness in her eyes as well. She seems oblivious to the pain in Joey's eyes on numerous occassions, particularly in a sex scene filmed on the stairs in their home as a desperate Joey/Tom tries in a physical way to regain her love and trust. Only his little girl shows him any real love towards the end of the movie. Glad I never married a woman like THAT!

Starts out well, then degrades to a B movie. A bit unbelievable in spots. Usually gun vs flesh wins. But for the price, it was ok. I had been wanting to see this for years and I couldn't find it anywhere on streaming except Amazon. uying was a better option than renting as it was only a dollar more to buy.

I don't know why they called this "A History of Violence," unless the writer felt our country has such a history. This film is a great companion for "No Country for Old Men," for they both have their reasons. In the opening minutes we see evil incarnate silently take the lives of innocent motel owners without remorse or redemption. The inhumane killers move on to another city as if to suggest evil is largely unchecked. That is when a quiet family man, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortenson), just wants to enjoy his small diner and rural life when his true past gets exposed when he becomes a hero on the local tv, and his wife, (Maria Bello) and son have questions. Overnight, some mobsters haunt the diner and Tom Stall can no longer contain his long-retired skills of dealing with human obstacles. The action picks up as the Stalls find themselves defending their home, established reputation and marriage. Tom Stall unwinds and releases his martial skills so much that he soon has the attention of his brother (William Hurt) who sent (Ed Harris) to settle the issue. He doesn't, so Tom Stall has to swallow his pride and meet with his estranged brother in Boston, into the lion's den. Even creepier, director David Cronenberg shows a quick encounter mid-town at an intersection between some hot-headed teens and the mute tserial killers we saw in the opening minutes just for added tension. Very spooky. There are other scary moments in this film that makes this unique that you must experience in the moment. Watch this study of quiet demeanor hiding the Bruce Lee within to find out if Tom Stall lives to enjoy a quiet meal at home. Thomas Wolfe said you can't go home again. He might be wrong. I'm not telling.