BellaOnline Forums TV and Movies Drama Movies A History of Violence

I've been a fan of David Cronenberg for a long time, and last night I made it to a showing of his latest, A History of Violence. This movie rocks! The tale of a small-town diner owner who may or may not be a former mobster is simple but really effective. Viggo Mortenson is fantastic as the lead, as is Maria Bello, who plays his character's wife. Ed Harris is a mob heavy, and William Hurt, who doesn't show up 'til almost the end, is brilliant.

The complexity of inner story is here like it was in Spider, but the pace of this one moves a lot faster than that movie. There are one or two gory bits (as you might expect from Cronenberg) but this is in no way a horror film like some of his past efforts. And this thing was based off a graphic novel, who would have guessed?

This one's going in the collection when it come out on DVD.

I'm so glad you wrote this up. I was really curious about how it would go. The ads are intriguing, but I didn't want to see a horror flick. I like a good story, even scary ones, but I won't subject myself to nonsense. (We do carry this stuff around in our heads...)

Thanks, another one for the Netflix queue.

Mary Ellen,

This is very much a drama/thriller type of film. I know some folks found it to be unsettling in that it's so realistic and not fantastical like some of Cronenberg's past work.

I hope some of these performances are remembered during awards season.

OK, I just came hoem from it
UMMMM
I didnt get it
the violence was very realistic
HURT did a kick A job!
but the story line was like
HUH???

I guess it was just me
I had heard it was the best movie of the yeawr
I dont agree
nothing has touched CRASH yet