Maria Bello Movie:

Editorial Review:
An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father (Viggo Mortensen) commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Director David Cronenberg Commentary
Deleted Scenes:Deleted scene w/director commentary
Documentary:"Acts of Violence" documentary
Easter Eggs
Featurette:"The Unmakeing of Scene 44" "Violence's History: U.S. vs. International Versions" "Too Commercial for Cannes"

Description of A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series):
On the surface, David Cronenberg may seem an unlikely candidate to direct A History of Violence, but dig deeper and you'll see that he's the right man for the job. As an intellectual seeker of meaning and an avowed believer in Darwinian survival of the fittest, Cronenberg knows that the story of mild-mannered small-town diner proprietor Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is in fact a multilayered examination of inbred human behavior, beginning when Tom's skillful killing of two would-be robbers draws unwanted attention to his idyllic family life in rural Indiana. He's got a loving wife (Maria Bello) and young daughter (Heidi Hayes) who are about to learn things about Tom they hadn't suspected, and a teenage son (Ashton Holmes) who has inherited his father's most prominent survival trait, manifesting itself in ways he never expected. By the time Tom has come into contact with a scarred villain (Ed Harris) and connections that lead him to a half-crazy kingpin (William Hurt, in a spectacular cameo), Cronenberg has plumbed the dark depths of human nature so skillfully that A History of Violence stands well above the graphic novel that inspired it (indeed, Cronenberg was unaware of the source material behind Josh Olson's chilling adaptation). With hard-hitting violence that's as sudden as it is graphically authentic, this is A History of Violence that's worthy of serious study and widespread acclaim. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
On a single disc and with little fanfare, this DVD makes an excellent case for the best extras of the year. Dive into the one-hour-long documentary and learn more about moviemaking than on many a double-disc. The secret lies in director David Cronenberg's (and his usual crew) folksy casualness in showing off the craft, be it makeup (green screens were used), directing (Cronenberg doesn't storyboard), or art direction (the diner set). It also is very funny to hear about "fish Fridays" and how Maria Bello's Uncle Pete became an influence. Even the infamous sex-on-the-staircase scene is diagnosed with candor as stars Viggo Mortensen and Bello act as if there is no backstage camera. There's only one deleted scene, but it's uncommonly deconstructed on why it was filmed and why it was cut (it's a very Cronenbergian dream sequence). A short bit on Cannes is also a delight. So much is here that Cronenberg's smart commentary track is nearly superfluous. Isn't that a nice surprise? --Doug Thomas

More to Explore

The Graphic Novel	Other Graphic Novels that Inspired Movies	David Cronenberg Essentials
Why We Love Maria Bello	The work of Viggo Mortensen	The work of William Hurt

Stills from A History of Violence

Viggo Mortensoe as Tom Stall	Ashton Holmes as Jack Stall and Kyle Schmid as Bobby Jordan
William Hurt as Richie Cusack	Ed Harris as Carl Fogarty and Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall
Maria Bello as Edie Stall	Director David Cronenberg

A History of Violence (New Line Platinum Series) Reviews:
Worst Movie Ever
2009-10-30 - If it were possible for a movie to be rated negative five stars, I'd do it. This was so far past awful, you couldn't even see awful from where this movie was.

I had high hopes for the movie since I like many of the people in it. However, the writing is so bad that the talent can't do anything with it.

The collection of acting talent, unfortunately, is no more able to become a good movie than a heap of building materials is able to become a house.



Conflict and Violence
2009-10-27 - Two men walk out of a motel and get into a convertible. [No seatbelts?] What are they up to? Next we see a family at home. Tom Stoll works in a small restaurant in a small town. There is conflict in the boys gym. [Believable?] The parents spend time together when the children are away. [Does the film slow down afterwards?] Then those two men show up in town and start trouble in Tom's restaurant. Tom finishes it. This makes the newspapers and brings in more business, and unwanted attention. Three men show up, one claims to know Tom from Philadelphia. Sheriff Sam checks them, they have records. What's up? "Get the shotgun!" Is the family threatened? [Why does Tom have to run to his house far out of town?] Why did Sarah leave her Mom Edie when shopping? [Believable?]

Jack is a chip off the old block, he knows how to handle Joey. [Too good to be true?] Will a court order keep Carl Fogarty away? There is action that was telegraphed in the earlier scenes. [Is this believable? The scenes seem to be concocted for violent dramatic scenes.] Will Edie and Tom get along? Will a voice from the past call Tom? [This is a new story that drags in spots.] his brother has a complaint. But Joey is like "Rambo", he is hard to kill. Can he wash away his sins in a pond? Back home in Indiana life returns to normal. [Believable?] This story just stops, there are no after effects from the action in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.

The violent scenes seem to be the sole purpose of this film, like some kind of pornography of violence. Its as if the writers concocted graphically violent scenes then wrote a story to link them together. Some scenes would have made this X-rated back in the 1970s. Other reviewers pointed out the logical flaws in this story.


Good Movie
2009-08-05 - This movie is proof that no matter how long you know somebody, there is a good chance that you never really know them. Tom Stall is a family man. Loved by his town and his community and his family. But, one day changed all that and brought back the true meaning of Karma. Good watcher and for all you guys who love Maria Bello like I do, she worth the watch alone.

Decent Drama
2009-06-27 - I was expecting more action from this movie. It turned out to be more of a drama, with a couple minutes of violence. It was semi-realistic, and entertaining enough to not turn it off, which is a lot more than I can say for many of today's movies.

I don't really see the benefit in owning the dvd, as the best viewing is the first.

WHAT A TITLE...WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT...STILL ENTERTAINS ALOT!
2009-06-11 - Ok, Ok you young turks who think this film is awesome. It is very entertaining but, like Cronenberg's, EASTERN PROMISES [2007] which I will destroy at a later date, this is a painfully underachieving, swaggering, tease of a movie that falls short at the finish line. Storyline involves a reformed and translocated ex-mobster [Tom Stall aka Joey played by Viggo Mortensen] who is now a diner-owning Family man out in some Mayberry-like town in the midwest. Big problem: ex- mobster pals have located him and want some payback. Movie starts out with a bang with two thugs riding around causing mayhem, dispatching a kid [thank God Cronenberg didn't show this] then terrorizing the folk in Tom's diner. These guys are BAD...basically evil dudes. Great job by Cronenberg with these two degenerates who were very intimidating. When one of the thugs ok's a sex assault on the waitress, Tom steps in and is able to shoot the two while taking a slug himself. The sight of one of the thugs who was shot in the face, prone and swallowing his own blood and ripped-apart facial tissue, is absolutely hideous! This film has gotta be famous for this and one other facial- wound nightmarish monstrosity later in the flick. Ya gotta check these out [hey, Tom, don't you ever aim at the heart?]. Anyway, Tom becomes a local hero. Notoriety, however, attracts old friends. Ex-mob pals, led by Ed Harris, now enter into Tom's previously idyllic existence and threaten to reveal his true identity to Family and friends. They become CAPE FEAR- like pests to his wife and kids until the mugs confront them and Tom is forced to shoot them [hideous facial scene # 2 here]---having his true identity as an ex big city mobster now revealed to his loved ones. Wife [played by Maria Bello] and son [Ashton Holmes] are not too happy with the lies and alter ego and kind of ostracize him. Tom now sets off to Philadelphia to meet with his mobster boss brother [played wonderfully by William Hurt] who sent the goons that messed up his life. Tom faces his bro in this secluded mansion, surely to be Jimmy Hoffa'd. Hurt's 'protection', however, consists of a few slightly-built dudes who look more like hairdressers than mafia. They are pretty incompetent and Tom easily, maybe too easily [big gaffe Cronenberg], takes them out one by one. Hurt's short-lived performance is a gas, however. He's really captivating showing a wierdness and eccentricity not soon forgotten. Tom takes him out, too. The ending, where Tom returns to his home, sits at the dinner table with a stoic wife & teenaged son [still P'd off] but is given a dinner plate by his oblivious, innocent little girl is cute but falls flat and is unsatisfactory. Hey wife & son, the guy changed his life, worked his butt off [no pun intended], defended you and gave you everything he had---give him a break! Dad's bad-azz. How about one of those IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE endings? Mr Cronenberg, we know life events and situations do not always lead to happy endings but that's why we watch movies---to get away from [escape] life's monotony and bad breaks. At least give us an ending with hope. The coitus scene on the stairs seemed contrived. Maria Bello, who I feel is a GREAT actress, should have been given a bigger piece of the pie. Ashton Holmes, was very charismatic, and his character should have been delved into more. After watching this modest-budget and only 96 minute film with the hurried ending you just feel ripped off at the end. This film, with its nice storyline and top-of-the-line actors, should have been a minimum of 120m in length, had better tension build-up, more in-depth characterizations of Viggo, Bello, Holmes, Harris and even Hurt. And, after watching this nice family go through so much together and rooting for them throughout, a joyful reunion/happier ending was in order. Starting to get tired of Hollywood's 'get lots of good actors / lots of blood & butt/ short & sweet/ lets get out of here and collect the video $$' formula of late. One thing for sure after watching this one: you'll abandon your plans for a career in facial reconstruction surgery.