Since moving images where first committed to film violence has played a large
part of drawing an audience. Directors have been propelled to the same notoriety
as actors simply by pushing violence to the limit and a little beyond. In order
to make the violence real to the audience they have to empathize with the people
involved. Those viewing these acts must come to believe that they can be the
victim of such actions or that they can be pushed into performing them. In ‘A
History of Violence’ David Cronenberg set the stage for the film with an idyllic
look at life in the great American Midwest. Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) lives in
Millbrook Indiana with his wife Edie (Maria Bello) and their two children;
teenaged Jack (Ashton Holmes) and their young daughter Sarah (Heidi Hayes). It
would appear that this is straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Tom runs
the local diner, is a church going man, gives his time to the community and
harbors a dark secret. When Tom suddenly explodes in an unexpected bout of fury
to foil an armed robbery of his business all eyes are now focused on this local
hero. Soon some very shady characters have come to town, lead by the dark suited
and facially scared Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris). They have a keen interest in every
aspect of Tom’s life referring to him as ‘Joey’ and insisting they have an old
score to settle. Fogarty is certain that Tom is the man that inflicted the
horrible scars on his face by gouging his eye with barbed wire. Fogarty is
anxious for his long awaited revenge. As a shadow falls over Tom’s past his wife
and son begin to have doubts. They but love him deeply but can they love a man
that they don’t really know? Even if Tom had this violent past he had to act
when his diner was robbed. He instinctively knew that they wanted more than just
the money; they would kill everyone in there. No matter what the consequences
Tom had to act, as happens so often in real life a single moment in time can
alter everything.
This film is excellent in its construction and execution. It works on both
the personal level of Tom’s history of violence but also on the grander scale of
how our society views violence. Tom’s notoriety was based on his violent
response to an immediate danger. The public wanted to see the man that took out
two armed robbers; they craved the vicarious thrill of experiencing violence
while never facing its danger. For those that thought they knew Tom the best
what struck them the most is how well Tom handled himself. It was anachronistic
that such a mild manner man would know just how to defend himself so well
against two armed and murderous men, killing them with such ease. What attracts
the general public is revolting to Tom’s family. When Edie woke up that faithful
morning she could look over at her husband, the father of her children, her
lover, with a certainty that this was a good, decent man. After the incident at
the diner she realized that we can never really know the past of another. The
core question raised by Fogarty is whether such perchance for violence is a
natural, innate aspect of mankind or does it have to be trained into an
individual? Can a man that goes to church and loves his family come to shoot
like a Marine sharpshooter if the occasion demands it? There is also a bit of
the old west here. Groups of thugs increasing in numbers start to come after
Tom, each one trying to take out this local hero to gain a reputation. This
spills over to his son who becomes the target of school yard toughs. Even if the
actions where justifiable the results spread beyond the moment and the man who
took those actions.
There is one thing about recent films by David Cronenberg, he knows how to
attract the absolutely best actors to his projects. His casting is a work of art
and this film is a prime example. After being the star of the most successful
film trilogy ever, ‘the Lord of the Ring’, Viggo Mortensen had to overcome the
fantasy hero role of Aragorn and once again become a normally conflicted man. He
is not saving all of Middle Earth here; he is just a man whose world has been
turned upside down. Mortensen has the rugged good looks (just ask my daughter)
and the serious acting talent to pull off this very difficult role. He draws the
audience into the life of Tom Stall. We can identify with him wanting the peace
and security he has worked hard to obtain. When violence erupts and he has to
respond in kind we have to wonder what we would do in a similar situation. The
dichotomy of the film works only because the audience can simultaneously believe
both sides of the character that Mortensen presents. We accept him as a loving
family man but also believe he is capable of killing two men that threaten
others. Maria Bello is one of those working actors that people don’t associate
with being on the A-List. That is a shame since she is one of the most talented
and versatile actresses around. She has a natural beauty that makes her seem
approachable. Men in the audience can see her as a wife and girlfriend; the
women can accept her as a friend. She gives Edie considerable depth to her
personality, something most other actresses would be hard pressed to accomplish.
I have seen many films featuring Ed Harris. While some of his films are
naturally better than others I have never been disappointed with his
performances. He is the consummate actor. He doesn’t just portray a character he
transforms into that person. There is a quiet quality to his performance. A
truly dangerous man is not the one shouting out his threats, he waits and acts.
This is how Harris presents Fogarty.
Say what you want about director David Cronenberg but it can never be said
that his films are boring. He always brings his off centered view of the world
to the screen with imagination. Here is a man that has openly denounces
violence. His use of violence in his films is never apologetic, the violent acts
here just are. They are the McGuffin in this film, a term coined by Alfred
Hitchcock to denote something important to the characters in the film not the
audience. The violence sets up the conflict in Tom and the motivation for
Fogarty. Cronenberg is the master of style but he never lets that overwhelm his
story telling ability. The plot is well woven and builds at exactly the right
pace. This is perhaps the best work Cronenberg has done in years and is a must
see if only for that. The story may be a re-working of the classic film noir
flick, Out of the Past, but only Cronenberg can breathe such new life in the
tale.
The DVD presentation of this film is impeccable and I expect nothing less
from New Line Cinema. They remain one of the best DVD producers in the business
and for good reason, the respect those that purchase their discs. The anamorphic
video is flawless. The color palette is realistic with just the right
temperature for each color. The contrast is perfect even when light and dark
crash together. The Dolby 5.l audio has channel separation better than most
films I’ve watched recently. The use of the rear speakers permits not only an
excellent, full feel but is well used for audio effects. The audio commentary
track by David Cronenberg is a brief tutorial on film making. He details the
production choices he faced and remains entertaining to listen to. Even the
deleted scenes come with his comments. It is great when the director can expose
a little bit about way a scene didn’t make the final cut. There is also a
featurette about the difference in violence for versions of films in the U.S.
and those for international release. This is not a film for the whole audience
but if you are willing to take a trip away from the usual this is one to add to
your collection.
Posted 2/20/06