"How do you fuck that up?"

I don't think David Cronenberg can make a bad movie. Just added A History of Violence to my collection, which I've seen before, another awesome film. From one of the captains of "fucked up film", in my books, comes an epic, gripping and graphic movie. Starring Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall, a regular family man, who lives in the town of Millbrook and owns his own diner. Him and his wife (Maria Bello) have a great relationship and everything is going great for them. Until one night when Tom is closing up at the diner, two men walk in and pull guns on Tom and his staff. (One of them being actor Stephen McHattie, I call him the Lance Henriksen look-a-like.) Tom jumps into action and saves everyone, by killing the 2 men. Tom is a hero, but it seems like he didn't want to be.
Soon after the reporters and recognition go away, three men come into his diner, one of them being Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris). They say they know him and keep calling him Joey Cusack. Tom and his family are puzzled by this, but they keep coming back and continue to harass them. Fogarty says Tom is really from Philadelphia and that he has a brother name Richie, who in charge of the Mob back east. Even Tom's wife begins to doubt him, when he saves the family again, by killing Fogarty and his men. Tom only has one choice to go east and face the people who have been looking for him and end things once and for all. But is Tom really who he says he is or has he been keeping a secret this whole time?
This movie is filled with great performances from Viggo Mortensen, who is perfect at making you think he's some normal guy and then going all out like he was always an action star. Then there's Ed Harris, who makes Carl Fogarty look like someone you would never wanna cross. His accent is done well too.
Lastly, my favourite actor in this movie, William Hurt, who plays Richie Cusack. He did a thrilling job as a Mob boss, who is really pissed off and has the best line in the movie. (it's the title of this blog) He was even nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar, but loss to George Clooney in Syriana, which I still need to see.
The Dvd is part of the New Line Platinum Series and has the original cover art with Tom Stall( Viggo) holding a gun and his fam in the background. It has 2 good reviews from critics, as well. "The Best Movie of the Year," says Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly and "You Won't Know What Hit You!," says Peter Travers from Rolling Stone.
A History of Violence was released in 2005 and directed by David Cronenberg. Released by Alliance Films and New Line Cinema.

Collection#:
A History of Violence: #556