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A History of Violence (2005)
New Line Cinema, 1 hr. 40 mins.
Starring:
Viggio Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris, Josh Olsen, Ashton
Holmes, Heidi Hayes
Directed by:
David Cronenberg |
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It can be a daunting ordeal when the
concealed past unexpectedly comes back to haunt you without advanced
warning. And when this same sentiment is put into the horrific hands of
audacious filmmaker David Cronenberg, one should be prepared for the
surrealistic sensation that lies ahead. From the moviemaking mastermind
that carved a deliciously warped imagination out of creepy entries from
1983’s Videodrome to 1991’s Naked Lunch, Cronenberg taps into the
deceptive psyche of a lost man in the menacing melodrama A History of
Violence.
A History of Violence is based on the graphic novel by John Wagner and
Vince Locke. Cronenberg is masterful in the way he serves up his
psychological thriller as a concoction of varying ingredients of intrigue.
There’s an unspeakable intensity in Violence that resourcefully combines
the absurdity with the seriousness. This is a relentlessly challenging
showcase for Cronenberg as he breaks out of his usual creative macabre
mode. Robustly gripping in its lingering moodiness, A History of Violence
is an unsettling meditation that spotlights the subtlety of savagery.
Thoroughly compelling as a spectacle of cynicism and outrage, Cronenberg
has crafted one of the most explosively contemplative films of the year.
Viggio Mortensen, enjoying his cinematic reprieve from The Lord of the
Rings phenomenon, stars as Tom Stall—a seemingly tranquil family man
stationed in the quaint hick haven of Millbrook, Indiana. Life couldn’t be
better as Tom owns a farm and runs a cozy diner. He’s married to a lovely
lawyer named Edie (Maria Bello from The Cooler) who’s deeply devoted to
him affectionately. Tom plays a loving father to his kids (Ashton Holmes
and Heidi Hayes) and his employees respect him immensely. Overall, the
Stalls have nothing to complain about regarding their idyllic livelihood.
Unfortunately, the butter hits the scorching pan when Tom’s comfortable
existence is interrupted thanks to the hostile arrival of two killers
looking to put our hero in a totally spontaneous discomfort zone. As the
riff raffish tandem threaten to rob the diner and wreak other sorts of
havoc, Tom uncharacteristically dispatches of the vermin in tremendous,
bloody fashion. Although the onlookers were thankful for Tom's heroic
handling of the perished cretins, they were shocked at the manner in which
he methodically eradicated these criminals.
Soon, Tom--the surprisingly lethal weapon--is heralded by his courageous
deeds of foiling the robbery and celebrated for his violent outburst by
the small town residents and interested local/nationwide media alike.
Because of this sudden avalanche of praise and attention, Tom is nervous
and quite skeptical about being the latest media darling. Eventually, the
exaggerated press coverage and prestige will take its toll. Out of the
blue, Tom receives a mysterious visit from a scarred-faced Carl Fogarty
(Ed Harris) and his henchmen at the diner. Fogarty is under the impression
that Tom is a former associate known as Joey and somehow owes him for
whatever botched transaction occurred in the distant past. Naturally Tom
denies ever meeting Fogerty as this is a misguided case of mistaken
identity. Or is it?
The normally supportive Edie now worries about her husband’s ominous
company and wonders why they would insist that he’s someone known as
“Joey”. Feeling bewildered and helpless, can Edie trust Tom to come clean
with his sordid past or is he merely a victim of vague circumstances? Is
Tom someone with a shady history that harbors dangerous secrets? Will Tom
come to terms with these strangers that are ruining his personal and
professional life for no apparent reason? Is Fogarty reaching for straws
or does he have the right guy to settle his score with convincingly?
Better yet, was it worth Tom’s trouble to embrace the animalistic tactics
of defending his business and what price will that pay in the long run?
Cronenberg and screenwriter Josh Olsen provide a suitable setting for the
raging hedonistic tendencies to corrupt what was viewed upon as a safe
bastion of a Rockwellian utopia. Violence is a stark film that
unassumingly questions the fascination that we inherently have for the
capacity to succumb to vigilantism. Whether viewed upon as the mighty or
the meek, this rousing suspense piece dares to invite the nihilistic
nature that we may suppress or demonstrate in one degree or another. The
dialogue isn’t always on par with the dramatically raucous overtones of
the story. But there are no qualms about the tension and paranoia that
Cronenberg’s resilient direction and Olsen’s penetrating script hastily
brings to the forefront.
As a complicated man trying to escape his demons while holding on to the
sanity of his familial foundation, Mortensen is riveting and shows a
complexity about manhood that’s sometimes maligned and misunderstood—the
ability to control the hunger for entertaining a destructive and corrosive
consciousness. As Tom Stall, Mortensen is haunting and ambivalent about
his surge for a hidden recklessness that could bombard his soul and stain
those around him. Bello brings a raw sexiness and conviction as the wife
who sees the inner conflict and contradictions that brings her embittered
husband down to his emotional knees. Harris, always a reliable performer,
is devilishly sly as the pesky intruder in Stall’s peaceful life who
serves as the constant reminder that covering up your true tragic persona
may not always be the easiest task to undertake. A minor miscue in the
casting belongs to William Hurt as an animated crime lord who’s connected
to Tom/Joey and is able to put the puzzle together—much to the chagrin of
our perplexed protagonist.
When all is said and done, Cronenberg’s A History of Violence puts a
distinctive stamp on the genre of a small town crime thriller ready to
boil over at the right moment. Uniquely peculiar and provocative, Violence
carries its anxiety and angst with boldness in anticipation that the
audience will be as tattered, liberated, amused and overwhelmed by the
cathartic message that targets anger as an unpredictable humanistic tool
not too impervious for us to instinctively resist. |
