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Movies / On DVD / A History of Violence
A History of Violence

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A History of Violence (2005)

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Reviews Counted:195

Fresh:169

Rotten:26

Average Rating:7.9/10

Consensus: A History of Violence raises compelling and thoughtful questions about the nature of violence.

Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins

Genre: Thriller, Theatrical Release, Comic Book

Theatrical Release:Sep 30, 2005 Wide

Box Office: $31,408,459

Synopsis: Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is living a happy and quiet life with his lawyer wife (Maria Bello) and their two children in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana, but one night their idyllic existence... Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is living a happy and quiet life with his lawyer wife (Maria Bello) and their two children in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana, but one night their idyllic existence is shattered when Tom foils a vicious attempted robbery in his diner. Sensing danger, he takes action and saves his customers and friends in the self-defense killings of two-sought-after criminals. Heralded as a hero, Tom’s life is changed overnight, attracting a national media circus, which forces him into the spotlight. Uncomfortable with his newfound celebrity, Tom tries to return to the normalcy of his ordinary life only to be confronted by a mysterious and threatening man (Ed Harris) who arrives in town believing Tom is the man who’s wronged him in the past. As Tom and his family fight back against this case of mistaken identity and struggle to cope with their changed reality, they are forced to confront their relationships and the divisive issues which surface as a result. A History of Violence is directed by acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg (Crash, Spider, Dead Ringers) from a screenplay by Josh Olson. The film stars Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings, Hidalgo), Maria Bello (The Cooler), William Hurt (The Village, Oscar-winning Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ed Harris (Pollack) and Ashton Holmes. The film is produced by Chris Bender and JC Spink of Benderspink (The Butterfly Effect, Monster-in-Law) with Justis Greene, Roger E. Kass and Josh Braun serving as executive producers. The motion picture shot in Toronto and in various countryside locations, including Millbrook, Ontario for 11 weeks from September through to November 19th, 2004. New Line Cinema will release A History of Violence on September 30th, 2005. The film will make its world premiere at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival in May. [More]

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

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris, Stephen McHattie, Peter MacNeill

Director: David Cronenberg

Director: David Cronenberg
Screenwriter: Josh Olson
Producer: David Cronenberg, Josh Braun, Justis Greene
Composer: Howard Shore
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Release:

Mar 14, 2006

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • History of Violence, A
  • An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father (Viggo Mortensen) commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.
  • Source: Warner Home Video
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for A History of Violence

    • T-Meter Critics
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    • RT Community
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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Reviews
    Tomatometer Critic Review Category
    tomato

    Fernando F. Croce

    Impeccable formal control to match audacity is mandatory, and Cronenberg provides it

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 01 2009 12:31 PM

    CinePassion

    tomato
    7/10

    John J. Puccio

    The movie begins slowly, methodically, and builds increasingly toward a devastating climax.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 14 2009 11:29 AM

    DVDTown.com

    N/R

    Garth Franklin

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 15 2008 03:15 AM

    Dark Horizons

    tomato
    5/5

    Rob Gonsalves

    The tension builds in a slow boil, then ignites furiously when we're not quite ready for it.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 17 2007 06:51 PM

    eFilmCritic.com

    tomato
    3/4

    Joe Lozito

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 14 2007 03:23 AM

    Big Picture Big Sound

    tomato

    Prairie Miller

    Shows its stuff as both suspenseful, eloquent storytelling, while giving rise to larger cultural questions connected to the entrenched institutionalization of aggression as a major means of problem solving in this country.

    Full Review Source: | comment 1 Comment | Feb., 08 2007 07:00 PM

    WBAI Web Radio

    tomato

    Stuart Klawans

    A History of Violence develops with the singleness of purpose, and the rigor, of a mathematical demonstration, one that begins with a commonly accepted truth and ends with brains spattered across the floor.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 11 2006 03:35 AM

    Nation

    tomato
    3/5

    Joseph Proimakis

    full review in Greek

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 03 2006 09:39 AM

    Movies for the Masses

    tomato

    Richard Falcon

    Cronenberg's masterful, intelligent and gripping meta-thriller leaves us pondering about our enduringly perverse desire for alternative realities, in which surrogate violent alter egos run righteously and preposterously amok.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 28 2006 03:15 AM

    Sight and Sound

    tomato
    3.5/4

    Jay Antani

    A smart, absorbing thriller

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 26 2006 03:51 PM

    Perihelion Journal

    tomato

    Ken Tucker

    A remarkably convincing examination of heroism, hero worship, and the seductive allure of villainy.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 12 2006 03:15 AM

    New York Magazine

    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 10 2006 03:15 AM

    Sydney Morning Herald

    tomato

    Urban Cinefile Critics

    A tantalisingly explosive film about inner conflicts and secrets... a sublime psychological thriller in a western setting.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 04 2006 06:12 PM

    Urban Cinefile

    tomato
    3/4

    Kurt Loder

    A strange David Cronenberg movie, and not in the usual audaciously morbid way. A brooding, contemplative picture that's tough, tight and masterfully controlled.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 07 2006 11:52 AM

    MTV

    tomato
    3/5

    Enrique Buchichio

    Lo más reciente del canadiense David Cronenberg es un sólido thriller, casi de factura clásica, sobre las ramificaciones de la violencia.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 12 2006 07:05 PM

    Uruguay Total

    tomato

    Andy Klein

    I have no doubt that the humor is intentional, but it serves to undercut the whole thematic conflict.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 15 2005 01:59 AM

    Los Angeles CityBeat

    tomato
    4/5

    Anthony Quinn

    What Mortensen does brilliantly is to keep us guessing.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:33 PM

    Independent

    tomato
    5/5

    Michael Ferraro

    There are elements in this film that are 100% Cronenberg (the beautiful violence we so rarely see these days, subtle weird humor), but this is not your typical Cronenberg

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:33 PM

    Film Threat

    tomato

    MaryAnn Johanson

    See this movie -- I promise it won't be like any other movie you've ever seen, and may well change the way you look at violence in the movies.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 11 2005 03:19 PM

    Flick Filosopher

    tomato
    4/5

    Pablo Villaca

    Tematicamente ambicioso, demonstra ter segurança suficiente da força de sua narrativa ao permitir que o espectador saia do cinema sem estar completamente certo de como tudo terminou. E esta talvez seja uma de suas maiores virtudes.

    Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 11 2005 11:13 AM

    Cinema em Cena

     
     
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    Latest News for A History of Violence

    September 26, 2008: Paramount Taking Child's One Shot with Olson Opens in new window
    Paramount has hired "A History of Violence" screenwriter Josh Olson to pen an adaptation of Lee Child's "One Shot" novel, about "an ex-Army policeman who...gets tangled up with... More...

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    Jodie Foster will find herself in the middle of a catfight over the number one spot this weekend. The star of current chart-topper The Brave One will face challenges from Milla... More...

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