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A History of Violence Reviews

2005

70
from 79,957 members

Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is living a happy and quiet life with his lawyer wife (Maria Bello) and their two children in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana, but one night their idyllic existence is shattered when Tom foils a vicious attempted robbery in his diner. Sensing danger, he takes action and saves his customers and .. Read more

Starring	Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris
Director	David Cronenberg
Genres	Drama, Thriller

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Critic's review of A History of Violence
View all critics' reviews (4)
- Cronenberg's latest movie sees a model family's life turned upside down by an act of violence... read more »
- LOVEFiLM Review
  - Tom Charity
  - LOVEFiLM
Write your own review »
Most helpful member's review of A History of Violence
View all members' reviews (776)
- - 165
  - 50
  Don't believe the hype...
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  ..if this is really the best that is coming out of Hollywood then we're in dire straits.
  
  Cronenberg's film combines a simplistic and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 167811
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Paul
  - London
  - 30 Oct 2005 at 16:08
Most recent members' reviews of A History of Violence
View all members' reviews (776)
- - 2
  - 1
  Good film!
  
  Having read through many of the reviews of this film, and many reviews of other films, the most amazing thing is how many reviewers can't spell, have ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1088837
- - a customer
  - 05 Feb 2012 at 00:52
- - 0
  - 0
  Too rushed
  
  Ordered this having forgot we had already seen it-thats how memorable it was. Ok but seemed to rush along too fast so there did not appear to be much of a story... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1030824
- - Stevmar
  - 32 reviews
  - Coatbridge, Scotland
  - 18 Aug 2011 at 15:33
- - 0
  - 2
  Couldn't stay awake to see the end
  
  Really cheap plot and totally unbelievable characters - wooden in the extreme. I'm sure the graphic novel, from which it was taken, was better.
  
  Report this review
- 1023569
- - chriswba
  - 9 reviews
  - 31 Jul 2011 at 10:06
- - 2
  - 0
  Watchable film.
  
  A watchable movie. I wouldn't watch it again and it didn't really do much for me but its worth a watch.
  
  Report this review
- 1016640
- - Sab76
  - 55 reviews
  - 13 Jul 2011 at 11:34
- - 0
  - 0
  Is he, isn't he?
  
  A clever film that keeps you guessing until close to the end. The plot does move around a bit too much from the middle but that doesn't spoil the film.
  
  Report this review
- 1009887
- - Jimmyspeaks
  - 6 reviews
  - 26 Jun 2011 at 11:33
- - 1
  - 0
  history of violence
  
  Excellent film.Good story and acting,moves at the right pace and like all good things,seems to be over all too quickly.
  
  Report this review
- 1007673
- - chiddy
  - 2 reviews
  - 20 Jun 2011 at 22:41
- - 0
  - 1
  Good-but not great
  
  I have waited a long time to watch this movie and thought it may have a psychological effect or insight to violence in human nature.
  
  Unfortunately it... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1005426
- - Simplelife
  - 28 reviews
  - Hartlepool
  - 16 Jun 2011 at 00:01
- - 1
  - 0
  Thriller with a good twist
  
  Really enjoyed this film, lots of suspense and made you think. Good twist in it which is always good (not gonna tell you what it is cos you should definitely ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1001862
- - ChizDee
  - 7 reviews
  - Liverpool
  - 07 Jun 2011 at 21:25
- - 1
  - 0
  Really good movie
  
  Really great movie which holds your attention from start to finish.Mild mannered Tom Stall who runs a cafe in a small town finds he becomes a hero after foiling... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 997039
- - a customer
  - 25 May 2011 at 21:55
- - 0
  - 1
  disapointing storyline
  
  this film had the potential of a really good plot/storyline. at the start i was fixated - wondering what was true and what was not. it developed into a really ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 992323
- - ouiser
  - 33 reviews
  - stourpaine
  - 13 May 2011 at 07:53
View all members' reviews (776)

- - 165
  - 50
  Don't believe the hype...
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  ..if this is really the best that is coming out of Hollywood then we're in dire straits.
  
  Cronenberg's film combines a simplistic and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 167811
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Paul
  - London
  - 30 Oct 2005 at 16:08
- - 109
  - 19
  A History Of Violence?? It's not a documentary.
  
  When I sat down in the cinema I didn't know what to expect from this film. All I knew was that Ed Harris and someone from Lord Of The Rings was starring in ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 350238
- - Pittsey
  - Berkshire
  - 05 Oct 2005 at 19:48
- - 56
  - 24
  So Near But Yet So Far
  
  The central idea of the film is excellent. It could have been an excellent film and in places it was. The coreography and special effects in the fight scenes ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 352076
- - Jammbo
  - Leeds
  - 24 Oct 2005 at 21:00
- - 29
  - 0
  Lots of gloss can't hide the lack of depth
  
  THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS | Show review anywayHide
  
  A History of Violence is a slickly presented movie. The idea is that two deranged criminals come to a small town coffee shop, and upon starting trouble are ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 595398
- - MTO2006
  - 9 reviews
  - Hampshire
  - 09 Jul 2008 at 17:39
- - 26
  - 4
  good but no cigar
  
  First off, this film is a lot better than the awful title suggests. My 5 year old nephew could come up with a better title than that! But at the same time, ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 237692
- - Gromit
  - 44 reviews
  - Canterbury
  - 26 Apr 2006 at 19:26
- - 22
  - 9
  Top Film!!!
  
  I have just got back from the cinema and would say that i throughly enjoyed the film. I am not the greatest fan of Cronenberg as his films are a little bit too... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 160968
- - david FORD
  - Basildon
  - 14 Oct 2005 at 11:12
- - 15
  - 2
  Top Class
  
  This is a cracking film. Briliantly acted with a superb story that twists and winds it's way toward a thrilling conclusion. It's an edge of your seat ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 424189
- - MrKageGreo
  - 26 reviews
  - Cardiff
  - 26 Mar 2007 at 20:02
- - 16
  - 7
  Cronenberg has lost his edge
  
  Take the depth of 'Crash', the intrigue of 'Dead Ringers' and the brilliant 'Grit of Spider'...then chuck them out the window. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 351847
- - TreacleTreacle
  - Devon
  - 22 Oct 2005 at 00:05
- - 12
  - 5
  Thankfully hired it and didn't buy it!
  
  A film that promises to explode into life at any minute and never does. 2 sex scenes and a couple of short fight seens with dull and non-revealling dialogue in... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 233616
- - Ron
  - London
  - 17 Apr 2006 at 14:50
- - 10
  - 0
  And the oscar goes to..... the viewer
  
  Shallow, hollow, wooden farce which created no emotional empathy for the characters, and no emotional reaction to the violence portrayed within the film. We ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 236918
- - a customer
  - St Ives, Cambs
  - 25 Apr 2006 at 12:56

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Critics' reviews
- Cronenberg's latest movie sees a model family's life turned upside down by an act of violence... read more »
- LOVEFiLM Review
  - Tom Charity
  - LOVEFiLM
- It's about the violence that surpasseth all understanding - a cataclysm of awful consequence that unfolds with insidious intimacy and a Cronenbergian delight in the animal squish and shock of torn bodies
- 178876
- - Entertainment Weekly
  - 26 Mar 2011 at 01:27
- A masterpiece of indirection and pure visceral thrills, David Cronenberg's latest mindblower, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, is the feel-good, feel-bad movie of the year
- 178877
- - New York Times
  - 26 Mar 2011 at 01:27
- Cronenberg plays that pulp-revenge thriller plot with a perfectly pitched straight face throughout...
- 178878
- - Uncut
  - 26 Mar 2011 at 01:27

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