A History of Violence film review

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A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

Director David Cronenberg is known for exploring the darker margins of humanity. In A History Of Violence he is again trawling similar waters, but whereas in the past he has been inclined to wade in up to his neck, here he ventures in only ankle deep. The warped sensibility he typically exhibits only occasionally manifests itself as A History Of Violence possesses a more conventional feel.

Cronenberg fans might initially feel disappointment at the film's less idiosyncratic approach, but A History Of Violence is an absorbing, tense thriller that proves the director is equally adept at producing work with a broader appeal. Based on John Wagner and Vince Locke's graphic novel, John Olsen's script ponders the question of whether it's possible to escape your true nature.

From the outset, History Of Violence harbours a sense of foreboding. Beginning with an elongated, unhurried scene involving two murderous rogues outside a motel, it sets an ominous tone that is sustained throughout, punctuated with gruesome moments that vindicate the film's prevailing mood. At its heart is Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) a man of quiet intensity, living a tranquil family life in Middle America with his wife Edie (Maria Bello) and their two kids, Jack (Ashton Holmes) and Sarah (Weidi Hayes).

The Stall's domestic and rural harmony is shattered when the two rogues enter the family diner, threatening the customers. Tom's instinctive response is quick and decisive, leaving both robbers dead. Hailed as a local hero, the resulting publicity brings unwelcome attention and the visit of the scarred and sharp suited Carl Fogerty (Ed Harris). The menacing Fogerty insists Tom's real name is Joey Cusack and that he knows him from his days in Philadelphia. Stall denies being Cusack or ever having gone to Philly, but Fogerty's forceful claims raise doubts about Tom's past, doubts that only increase with the ensuing violence.

Mortensen does a fine job, portraying Tom with a quiet strength and inscrutability. Bello possess the spark to ignite the more combustible Edie, while both Harris and William Hurt (as Tom's brother) add a more exaggerated element, but one that works well when contrasted with the film's more restrained nature. Indeed it's the contrasts that are its most striking feature. A History Of Violence moves at a methodical pace, so its explosive moments of brutality are as jarring as they are graphic.