A History of Violence (2005)

[ZapRowsdower]

A History of Violence (2005)
Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt
Written by Josh Olson, based on the graphic novel by Vince Locke and John Wagner
Directed by David Cronenberg

It's that time of year again. Studios are releasing movies they believe are worthy of being voted best picture. That's right, forget about Cinderella Man (a film that should have been released around this time but was instead lost in the summer shuffle), because these are the movies the Academy is going to be looking at. Keep an eye out for Brokeback Mountain, Memoirs of a Geisha, and A History of Violence -- these seem to be the major players this year. But enough about what the critics and analysts say. What do I think?

Personally, I found the movie to be very overrated. Notice, I didn't say it was a bad movie. Because it wasn't. What we're looking at is a really good story with really good acting, but a poorly written screenplay.

So much of a film's quality depends on the screenwriter's ability to write believable, realistic dialogue, which is an ability Josh Olson did not have. Before he began writing the script, he should have spent some time in high school, listening to how some of the students talked. I found any scene involving Tom Stall's son laughable and downright insulting (I graduated high school two years ago, high school is NOT like that). Most of the screenplay just seemed like a run-down vehicle to drive the fantastic story around in.

Still, what director David Cronenberg managed to build on that weak foundation was no mean feat. Silence of the Lambs this movie ain't, but damned if Cronenberg isn't good at using subtlety. Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello and Ed Harris are surely Oscar contenders (although I seriously doubt any one of them will win), and I gotta give William Hurt some credit for actually having a personality in this movie, as opposed to his usual monotonous performances. Ashton Holmes, however, was a terrible casting choice. If a character's scenes are poorly written, the least they could do is cast someone who can deliver it they way it was intended to be delivered.

The story was intriguing, too. It was a very good psychological study... I can't really go too far into that without spoiling the movie, so I'll have to ask you to take my word for it. But if you can get past the lackluster screenplay (and we all loved Revenge of the Sith - that shouldn't be a problem) and pay attention to the story, you'll see that it is actually a work of genius.

I'll be reading the graphic novel as soon as I can get a hold of a copy.

I've learned to watch films from several perspectives, and I gotta say this isn't great on an objective level, but it is definitely good. Mortensen, Bello and Harris will definitely get the Academy's attention, and Cronenberg fans will love it. Still, I can assure you this isn't the best Oscar season has to offer, and I will not be surprised (or even disappointed, really) if this film gets lost in the shuffle.

It does, however, earn my seal of approval.

Premise
A case of mistaken identity... or is it? That and an excellent psychological study.
20/20

Acting
10/20
Mortensen, Bello and Harris do the best they can with the material they're given, but fail to elevate the screenplay's quality. Good enough for Oscar nominations, but that's about it. And any teenage character portrayed in the film was just God awful.

Screenplay - Josh Olson
4/20
Definitely this movie's biggest downfall.

Direction - David Cronenberg
20/20
Beautiful. The only word I can use to sum it all up.

Oscar predictions:

Nominations - Best Actor in a Leading Role (Viggo Mortensen), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ed Harris), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Maria Bello), Best Director (David Cronenberg)

No wins.

67.5%

[Quorthon]

This weekend the wife and I are planning on seeing Corpse Bride and I'm hoping to get around to this.

[Heineken Skywalker]

I wanted to see this, but it was the wife's choice, so off to CORPSE BRIDE we went.
Still hope to see it before it leaves theaters.

[Quorthon]

We chose this over Corpse Bride, and I loved it. So did the wife. Say Smitty, which character was Ashton Holmes?

I actually found the performances to be quite good throughout (Viggo's pitched and waned in the beginning, but that could be related to being so used to seeing him as Aragorn), and I loved William Hurt's performance.

And as for a point from the horror fanatic in me: The brief gore shots were spectacular--and an obvious sign that Cronenburg has his hand in this!

[ZapRowsdower]

Ashton Holmes was Viggo's son in the movie.

[Quorthon]

iamthesmitty said:

Ashton Holmes was Viggo's son in the movie.

Ahhh. I thought he did alright. Teenagers are a bunch of pissy little brats most of the time--their behavior in any theater during a PG-13 film is one (of the many) things that irk me about PG-13 stuff. I thought this was far and above better than Cronenberg's last film, Spider. I wasn't a fan of that one.

[Heineken Skywalker]

Saw it tonight and thought it was great. That was also the concensus of the other four people I was with. Wow, a film for adults. All of us thirtysomethings were happy to see that. In this day and age where it seems like just about every movie churned out of Hollywood is aimed at teenagers (PG-13 horror movies! What's up with that??) or as a tool to sell Happy Meals, it's refreshing to see a movie that you definitely don't take the kiddies to. Graphic violence and two sex scenes? What is this, the seventies? Applause all around for director David Cronenberg.

Viggo Mortensen gives a very good and understated performance as a guy trying to live a normal life, but due to some unforseen circumstances, his past catches up with him and threatens to destroy everything he's worked for.
The fight scenes were believeable and the violence was graphic, but very well done. Something that David Cronenberg did here that is not typically done in a mainstream film, is that everytime there's a scene of extreme violence, where normally you would just be cheering for the hero, "Get them commies, Rambo!", Cronenberg would show you the aftermath of said violence, with the victim laying on the ground and the gore of his wounds, to immediately pull you back to reality and show you that violence, real violence, is not glamorous. What we have here is a violent, anti-violence film. On the one hand, we the audience, get our rocks off by seeing a bad-ass kill some evil bastards. On the other hand, we're also shown how a violent act can snowball into more violent acts, with seemingly, no end in sight.

Ed Harris was as great as he always is. Harris is one of the few actors who can play good guys and bad guys and even though we've seen him in dozens of movies, he doesn't bring that baggage with him. When he's playing a villain I don't think about the nice guys he's played in the past and vice-versa.
I agree with Smitty that William Hurt was livelier here than I've seen him in a long time. Maybe not since he morphed into the missing link in ALTERED STATES. Maybe it's because he was essentially playing what should be a very dark character as a comedic role?

Pretty much my strongest criticism is about the high school bully that torments Mortensen's son. This character was kind of over the top. Who gets that upset over losing a baseball game?? I understand it was neccesary to show the parallels between the characters of the father & son, ie: the son gets inspired by his father's actions, but maybe it could have been handled with a little more subtlety. None of that doesn't mean that it didn't please me to see him get what he deserved. ;D

Overall, a very good film with strong performances, direction, and even a message about violence in our culture.
8.5/10

[Quorthon]

heinekenskywalker said:

Saw it tonight and thought it was great. That was also the concensus of the other four people I was with. Wow, a film for adults. All of us thirtysomethings were happy to see that. In this day and age where it seems like just about every movie churned out of Hollywood is aimed at teenagers (PG-13 horror movies! What's up with that??) or as a tool to sell Happy Meals, it's refreshing to see a movie that you definitely don't take the kiddies to. Graphic violence and two sex scenes? What is this, the seventies? Applause all around for director David Cronenberg.

It's nice to know other people feel the same way I do!

[Bartwald]

I pretty much agree with most of the complaints AND praises about the film expressed above, but all in all my opnion is closer to Smitty's disappointment than to Heineken's satisfaction. I loved the performances by William Hurt and Ed Harris, kept my eyes wide open whenever Maria Bello was onscreen, but didn't think too much of Viggo, his son or the so-so script.

A not-bad film, but a disappointment if you expected one of Cronenberg's best.

[Heineken Skywalker]

Bummer you didn't like it more. I thought the strong points definitely outweighed the weak. Ah well, to each his own and all that rot.

[Quorthon]

I still liked it, and like I said (I think I said this), I think the teenage son's problems and behavior were pretty realistic. Teenagers behave like retarded little monkeys most of the time. It's related to the changes in the brain--oh, and the typical teenage "fuck all" attitude.

Sure, not Cronenberg's best film, but way better than nearly everything released theatrically this year.

But I still haven't seen Walk the Line...

[ZapRowsdower]

Quorthon, your statement about teenagers offends me. Having just been a teenager and all, and having many friends who are still in their teens, we are much more complex than what that film made us out to be.

And I've never seen anyone bully another kid because the other kid beat him at a baseball game. You just don't see it.

[Quorthon]

I don't mean to offend--there are a few good teenagers, some that aren't total assholes. But I remember being a teenager. Damn near every other teenager I knew was a little shithead--me and my friends included. Most teenagers have no respect for anybody or anything. It's one of the reasons I so loathe PG-13 films. The fucking teenagers--talking all through the damn thing, laughing loudly at their own jokes, dicking around with cell phones, generally being all-around aggravating and ruining the movie-going experience. There are those assholes occasionally during R-rated pictures, but the generally, there's far fewer of them.

Even when I was a teenager I hated teenagers and stuff geared towards teens. Crap like MTV, and lame teeny-bopper dating/prom/fill-in-your-own-high-school-sport drama movies and shows. All the crappy jobs I worked (Pizza Delivery, Toys R Us, etc.), teenagers were the wankers with the worst attitudes, and were generally the biggest slackers. When I was going to College, some dumbass football player in the local high school killed himself--over a lost football game--so I know that some of the jock assholes take that stuff way too seriously. And teenagers do treat each other with so much pointless, unwarranted hatred as in History of Violence--hell, growing up, I had to deal with those fuckers.

[story following] Twice (once as a junior, once as a senior), by one huge fat hick moron, I was threatened with beatings like you wouldn't believe. He was so loud and so abrasive (and so gigantic) that the teachers in those respective classes didn't do a thing to stop him! Like they were afraid of that fat shithead! Here I am, just over 5 feet tall and the weakest little nerd in the world--only my thumbs are strong from endless hours with my SNES--and this gigantic, nearly 6-foot tall, fat muscle-headed beast says a rude comment to me. I defended myself in my typical sarcastic tone (because when you're damn near a midget like me, sarcasm is your greatest tool), he flys off like an atomic blast of rage and hate, louder and angrier than anything you could dare imagine. Every other student in the room sits quietly with head hung in deathly silence, the teacher goes about his business quietly--doing his best to ignore Goliath hurling insults, threats, and profanity and sarcastic little David. Two seperate incidents, the same asshole, just different classes and different years. I don't remember what set him off the first time, but the second time he was (in typical asshole fashion) asking me if I was gay, and I said, "No... why do you want me to be?" Holy shit. If he can't stand people defending themselves, he should've shut the hell up.

So, long story short (too late, I know), I believed the teenagers in HoV were portrayed pretty accurately. There are some good ones out there, true, and I don't attack any one specifically--but teenagers are like that old lawyer joke: "99% of Lawyers give the rest a bad name."

Sorry 'bout the rant. I had to explain this notion on my other frequented message board at one time. Maybe I should've just copied and pasted...

[edit:] Also, Smitty, I do have to commend you--instead of throwing insults and becoming psychotic (which seems to be the way waaaayy too many people act on the internet) you spoke honestly. Looks like you're one of the good ones, man. Besides, again, I know better than to fuck with the Smitty!

[ZapRowsdower]

See, that accurately describes my time in Middle school, but all that just disappeared when I got to high school. Maybe it was different when you went, but I was in high school from 1999-2003, and have never known anyone like that. I could never place a stereotype on anyone. Most people played against their stereotypes. Sure I had a few problems, but they all transferred out before too long.

[Quorthon]

I'm not a big fan of stereotypes, either. But there are a lot--a lot of teenagers that I've seen that just keep that stereotype that I listed alive and kicking--disrespectful, lazy, obnoxious, punks.

Hell, I'm a Metalhead--we're heavily stereotyped by people, and unfortunately, I still see tons of idiots that just want to be the asshole, slacker, druggie, alcoholic, nihilistic dimwits. You know, the things people think of Metalheads that are all negative. I see people that keep those stereotypes going. Repugnant.

Well, stereotypes often don't just come from nowhere, I guess. Unfortunate.