I attended the movie theatre not really knowing what to expect from "A History of Violence" (2005). I wasn't familiar with David Cronenberg's notoriously gory horror films, nor his status as "Baron of Blood". The film's premise is certainly not new: "someone's out to get me but I don't know why", and I wondered whether the film would stray into the old territory. Mistaken identity, amnesia, schizophrenia...
The involvement of Viggo Mortensen (as Tom Stall), William Hurt and particularly Ed Harris appealed to me, and suggested that the film was more than just the usual Hollywood fare. Man, did I underestimate this film! I had one of the most rewarding movie-going experiences in recent memory - "A History of Violence" was excellent. The film covers an impressive range of genres: horror, thriller, crime, drama and even dark comedy. Bloody and unflinchingly violent, but unexpectedly funny (almost comical) in parts, the film had the entire lot of us (in the audience) gasping, groaning and laughing quite loudly. Never have I had such a communal experience while watching a film in a public (albeit small) cinema! It was remarkable.
The film also manages to incorporate thematic elements (the culture of violence and its impact on people and communities) into the plot, thus satisfying viewers looking for a more "brainy" action-thriller. The high-school experiences of Tom's teenage son Jack (Ashton Holmes, who performs well) form a side-story that cleverly illuminates certain aspects of the film's themes.
I was pleased to see Viggo Mortensen (who was in danger of forever being "Aragorn") play a convincing 'real-world' character, in a more weighty role than his (nevertheless likable) 'Eddie Boone' in "28 Days" (2000). Mortensen has the ability to convey so much in his facial expressions - a talent I wasn't aware of until now. Top performance from Ed Harris, who always impresses me with his ability to convincingly portray a wide range of characters, e.g. Richard Brown (The Hours, 2002), Parcher (A Beautiful Mind, 2001) and Christof (The Truman Show, 1998). Maria Bello was fantastic as Tom's wife Edie - a character with surprising depth and personality compared to the "screaming woman" common to so many films. William Hurt was great as Richie Cusack.
10/10.
The involvement of Viggo Mortensen (as Tom Stall), William Hurt and particularly Ed Harris appealed to me, and suggested that the film was more than just the usual Hollywood fare. Man, did I underestimate this film! I had one of the most rewarding movie-going experiences in recent memory - "A History of Violence" was excellent. The film covers an impressive range of genres: horror, thriller, crime, drama and even dark comedy. Bloody and unflinchingly violent, but unexpectedly funny (almost comical) in parts, the film had the entire lot of us (in the audience) gasping, groaning and laughing quite loudly. Never have I had such a communal experience while watching a film in a public (albeit small) cinema! It was remarkable.
The film also manages to incorporate thematic elements (the culture of violence and its impact on people and communities) into the plot, thus satisfying viewers looking for a more "brainy" action-thriller. The high-school experiences of Tom's teenage son Jack (Ashton Holmes, who performs well) form a side-story that cleverly illuminates certain aspects of the film's themes.
I was pleased to see Viggo Mortensen (who was in danger of forever being "Aragorn") play a convincing 'real-world' character, in a more weighty role than his (nevertheless likable) 'Eddie Boone' in "28 Days" (2000). Mortensen has the ability to convey so much in his facial expressions - a talent I wasn't aware of until now. Top performance from Ed Harris, who always impresses me with his ability to convincingly portray a wide range of characters, e.g. Richard Brown (The Hours, 2002), Parcher (A Beautiful Mind, 2001) and Christof (The Truman Show, 1998). Maria Bello was fantastic as Tom's wife Edie - a character with surprising depth and personality compared to the "screaming woman" common to so many films. William Hurt was great as Richie Cusack.
10/10.