An Interesting History of Violence

A History of Violence

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Maria Bello
Written By: Josh Olson
Based on a Graphic Novel: John Wagner and Vince Locke
Directed By: David Cronenberg
4.5 out of 5

Some movies blow the doors off, and some slowly open them crack by crack, allowing you to unravel the mystery piece by piece. A History of Violence would be somewhere in the middle, constantly opening and shutting the door, whetting the audience’s appetite with intrigue.

At first glimpse and first impression from the title A History of Violence seems destined for the latest horror film with a few name actors on the marquee. Then you look below those names and see Canadian director David Cronenberg that something a bit off kilter will be exhibited and front of you.

David Cronenberg perfectly meshes periods of subtlety with juts of gruesomeness and primal sexual scenes. There is an eerie ambiance in almost every scene, an expectation of a blowup which heighten the mood of the entire film. A type of tenseness that leads up to a let down in most films but Cronenberg perfectly capitalizes on these little moments.

In the opening sequence, a father and son are at a motel joking with each other. The audience can sense an undercurrent of evil. The scene is shot in one long extended take following a father and son driving in a parking lot, allowing the intro to rll along into a momentous little halt. These characters have their scene, disappear from the film, and then perfectly segway back into the film at the perfect time, similar to the Josh Hartnett opening segment in Sin City.

A History of Violence has the temperament and sensibility of the great recent American Midwest crime films like Fargo and A Simple Plan minus the kidnapping, perfect for those with a semi-sadistic sense of humor. Someone that laughs when watching Steve Buscemi yell at Peter Stormare with his mouth bleeding from a bullet wound in Fargo. The subplots, instead of boring time fillers, have intricacy and meaning, especially the significantly subplot of Viggo’s son in the film who tried to defer the advances of a bully. A History of Violence has perfect character introductions, influxes of new elements are revealed with precision and skillfulness, more than in any other film in recent memory.

Fantastic performances fill each piece of celluloid from a shrouded Viggo Mortensen who fills his difficult role flawlessly to an Oscar worthy turn by Ed Harris in a supporting role as a gangster looking for revenge. It was nice to see Viggo be eerie again and leave the Lord of the Rings behind. This film is the absolute opposite of that film trilogy, non-extravagant and huge. It’s raw, visceral, and mind-rattling. Maria Bello continues her reign as queen of meaty indie roles that involve her to get naked and showcase her true acting chops like The Cooler and Auto Focus. She has magnificent presence while being in a somewhat sedated state. It’s her doe eyes and that sincerity that seems to follow her in every role she plays.

Screenwriter Josh Olson doesn’t have any noteworthy films to his credit but deserves some credit giving David Cronenberg an adept, understated dialogue to work with, allowing him to roam in the realms of more and more extreme close-ups that showcase the flaws in people. There seems to be a minimal amount of brush up on the actors and it adds to the film’s overall feeling of authenticity.

Looking further into the roots of this movie as a graphic novel, some interesting data was discovered. First off, this is the only graphic novel ever produced by John Wagner who is a longtime comic veteran that is best known for creating Judge Dredd. That’s a head shaker. The only parallel with that film is the creation of a different sense of justice in life.

A History of Violence showcases a cycle of life that seems to be a parallel universe but is placed right in our midst. It strikes a chord regarding the possibility of rehabilitation in life and what really happens to people who try to change their lives. And sadly, you don’t see Stallone in spandex fighting with his evil brother Rico, and saying “I am above the law.” The film is indeterminate and confusing, and in this mild temperament that leads to viewer frustration for some and payoff absolute brilliance of others. The fall film season has truly been ushered in with A History of Violence.