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A History of Violence

  • 20052005
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
236K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,438
661
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
Home Video Trailer from New Line Cinema
Play trailer2:26
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Drama

A mild-mannered man becomes a local hero through an act of violence, which sets off repercussions that will shake his family to its very core.A mild-mannered man becomes a local hero through an act of violence, which sets off repercussions that will shake his family to its very core.A mild-mannered man becomes a local hero through an act of violence, which sets off repercussions that will shake his family to its very core.

IMDb RATING
7.4/10
236K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,438
661
  • Director
    • David Cronenberg
  • Writers
    • John Wagner(graphic novel)
    • Vince Locke(graphic novel)
    • Josh Olson(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Viggo Mortensen
    • Maria Bello
    • Ed Harris
Top credits
  • Director
    • David Cronenberg
  • Writers
    • John Wagner(graphic novel)
    • Vince Locke(graphic novel)
    • Josh Olson(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Viggo Mortensen
    • Maria Bello
    • Ed Harris
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.2KUser reviews
    • 447Critic reviews
    • 81Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 37 wins & 84 nominations total

    Videos3

    A History of Violence
    Trailer 2:26
    A History of Violence
    A History of Violence
    Clip 0:42
    A History of Violence
    A History of Violence
    Clip 0:53
    A History of Violence

    Photos137

    Ed Harris in A History of Violence (2005)
    Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
    William Hurt in A History of Violence (2005)
    Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
    Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
    Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
    Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
    David Cronenberg in A History of Violence (2005)
    David Cronenberg, Viggo Mortensen, and Maria Bello in A History of Violence (2005)
    David Cronenberg in A History of Violence (2005)
    David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence (2005)
    William Hurt at an event for A History of Violence (2005)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Viggo Mortensen
    Viggo Mortensen
    • Tom Stallas Tom Stall
    Maria Bello
    Maria Bello
    • Edie Stallas Edie Stall
    Ed Harris
    Ed Harris
    • Carl Fogartyas Carl Fogarty
    William Hurt
    William Hurt
    • Richie Cusackas Richie Cusack
    Ashton Holmes
    Ashton Holmes
    • Jack Stallas Jack Stall
    Peter MacNeill
    Peter MacNeill
    • Sheriff Sam Carneyas Sheriff Sam Carney
    Stephen McHattie
    Stephen McHattie
    • Lelandas Leland
    Greg Bryk
    Greg Bryk
    • Billyas Billy
    Kyle Schmid
    Kyle Schmid
    • Bobby Singeras Bobby Singer
    Sumela Kay
    Sumela Kay
    • Judy Danversas Judy Danvers
    Gerry Quigley
    • Mickas Mick
    Deborah Drakeford
    Deborah Drakeford
    • Charlotteas Charlotte
    Heidi Hayes
    Heidi Hayes
    • Sarah Stallas Sarah Stall
    Aidan Devine
    Aidan Devine
    • Charlie Roarkeas Charlie Roarke
    Bill MacDonald
    • Frank Mulliganas Frank Mulligan
    Michelle McCree
    • Jenny Wyethas Jenny Wyeth
    Ian Matthews
    Ian Matthews
    • Rubenas Ruben
    R.D. Reid
    • Patas Pat
    • Director
      • David Cronenberg
    • Writers
      • John Wagner(graphic novel)
      • Vince Locke(graphic novel)
      • Josh Olson(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Leading a happy and quiet life with his lawyer wife and their two children in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana, mild-mannered Tom Stall cherishes his simple, uneventful existence. However, their idyllic lifestyle is shattered when, one night, Tom saves his customers and friends in self-defence, foiling a vicious attempted robbery in his diner by two violent wanted criminals. Now, heralded as a local hero, Tom's life is changed overnight, attracting unwanted attention, and a national media feeding frenzy. Uncomfortable with his newfound celebrity, Tom tries to return to normalcy, only to find himself confronted by a mysterious man who arrives in town believing Tom is the man who wronged him in the past. More and more, as Tom and his family struggle to cope with their new reality and this case of mistaken identity, they have no other choice but to fight back and protect all that they hold dear. But, is there more to Tom than meets the eye? Does he have, indeed, a history of violence? —Nick Riganas
    • robbery
    • female nudity
    • small town cafe
    • nude
    • nudity
    • 274 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Everyone has something to hide.
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong brutal violence, graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some drug use
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During an interview, Viggo Mortensen stated that during the shooting of the first bar scene with Ed Harris he could not stop laughing, and as a result, the scene had to be re-shot several times. Due to Viggo Mortensen's behavior, Ed Harris completed the scene without pants; he only wore his underwear, yet this cannot be seen as the bar table impedes our view. Thus, Viggo Mortensen had to act seriously while Ed Harris was not wearing any pants, and this is the scene that is used in the movie.
    • Goofs
      In the high school softball game, the bully comes up to the plate carrying a wooden bat, but the sound heard when he hits the ball is the sound of an aluminum bat.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Richie Cusack: [Joey holds a gun to Richie's head] Jesus, Joey.

      Tom Stall: [as Joey shoots Richie in the head, then stands over his dead body] Jesus, Richie.

    • Alternate versions
      There are some minute differences between the US and the International version when it comes to some of the violent scenes:
      • Fogarty's thug, who gets his nose smashed into his skull has more blood spurt out in the International version in the shot where he is dying on the ground.
      • When Joey stomps on Richie's thug's throat, he spits blood (instead of it 'welling up') and the sound effect of the neck breaking is louder. Both shots last the same length of time and use the same take, the amount of blood was simply toned down digitally for the MPAA. Most video versions outside the U.S. use the 'international version' but the shots appear in the supplements on the U.S. DVD (In the featurette titled 'Violence's History', Cronenberg shows the U.S. and international cut scenes side by side and explains the reason why there wasn't a standard 'unrated' version in the U.S. was because the changes were so small).
    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: A History of Violence (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      Life of a Fool
      Written by Paul Burch

      Performed by Paul Burch

      Courtesy of Bloodshot Records

    User reviews1.2K

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Thought-provoking quality drama
    Let's start by writing this is a film I have difficulty evaluating. You notice the great technical qualities but emotionally it leaves you conflicted. Which, considering this is a Cronenberg film, might just be what was intended. I've seen most of his films and "A history of violence" is probably the least weird and most "commercial" (a term used by the director himself). It's a psychological drama with of course certain sequences of violence. It would not qualify as an action flick because the fight scenes are quite quick (less than a minute mostly), realistic, harsh and not glamorized. They're rather shocking but somehow exhilarating (like an adrenaline rush) but linger just a bit to show the results and make you feel uncomfortable. In the end, it does make you think about violence, if it's something ingrained, how it affects people, if it can sometimes be justified and if it can be overcome.

    Let's not forget a very interesting mystery aspect regarding the past of the main character played solidly and subtly by Viggo Mortensen. All the actors were quite convincing in their parts, the wife being suitably loving and tormented, the main gangsters being suitably menacing. They felt like real characters and I particularly liked the interactions between the wife and husband. Cronenberg is obviously a professional at his craft and shows it once again. It's cinema d'auteur as we would say in french but it's not boring or overtly intellectual. So if you're a Cronenberg fan, this is obviously a must-buy but expect it to be relatively more "tame" than his previous efforts. If you like smart character driven psychological dramas with a hint of mystery, it's a must see but I'm conflicted as to how re-watchable it is, making a purchase recommendation an uncertain thing. Fans of the Cohen brothers dramas/thrillers would probably like it also.

    Rating: 7.5 out of 10
    helpful•9
    3
    • Quebec_Dragon
    • Jun 24, 2009

    FAQ7

    • Is 'A History of Violence' based on a book?
    • Does Tom suffer from MPD? Because at times, he looks and sounds like he really believes his own lies when he vehemently denies being the person Joey Cusack.
    • What's the deal with the second sex scene? It seemed random and out of place.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 30, 2005 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Quá Khứ Tội Ác
    • Filming locations
      • Millbrook, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • New Line Cinema
      • BenderSpink
      • Media I! Filmproduktion München & Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $32,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $31,504,633
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $364,000
      • Sep 25, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $61,385,065
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    May 12GlamSham
    Vincent Cassel Starring in David Cronenberg’s ‘The Shrouds,’ FilmNation and CAA Launching Sales in Cannes (Exclusive)
    Vincent Cassel Starring in David Cronenberg’s ‘The Shrouds,’ FilmNation and CAA Launching Sales in Cannes (Exclusive)
    May 11Variety Film + TV

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