When you mention the nameDavid Cronenberg, it’s natural to instantly think of movies likeVideodrome,The Brood, andThe Fly. After all, he is often credited with creating the body horror genre and making audiences confront the fear of themselves. Nevertheless, at the turn of the century, Cronenberg decided to try something else.
In 2005, he released a comic book movie starringViggo Mortensenthat was an unexpectedly grounded take on crime thrillers. Picture a brutally violent character study guided by a boundary-pushing director, and you’ll getA History of Violence, a film adaptation of the DC graphic novel and one of Cronenberg’s most uniquely toned works.
What Is ‘A History of Violence’ About?
A History of Violencefollows Tom Stall, a small-town family man who spends his days serving loyal clients at his diner. Two criminals stop by the restaurant, attempting to rob it and threaten the customers. Tom defends himself, ultimately killing the men. When Tom leaves the hospital, he’s hailed a hero by everyone, including his family.
However, things don’t end there. One day, another mobster named Carl arrives at the diner and calls Tom “Joey.” Tom insists he doesn’t know who Carl is talking about and that he’s mistaken for someone else. Carl soon arrives at Tom’s house and demands that he return to Philadelphia to settle things. After a confrontation, Tom admits that he has a past. He used to be a high-profile criminal named Joey Cusack, and one day, he decided to stop. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis of the film:
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.
‘A History of Violence’ Is Not Your Average Comic Book Movie
The film was inspired by John Wagner’s graphic novel of the same name, originally released in 1997. It includes all the carnage of the original graphic novel, with the gruesome details you’d expect from aDavid Cronenberg movie. It’s not a body horror feature, but it sure gets gnarly with its kills.
Despite its dark subject matter,A History of Violencewas well-received by critics and audiences. It grossed over $61 million against a $32 million budget and holds an 88% critics' score and 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is one of the highest-ranked in both David Cronenberg’s andViggo Mortensen’s filmographies. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (William Hurt).A History of Violenceis available to rent or purchase onPrime Video.
A History of Violence
