Movies - A History of Violence

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	Movies - A History of Violence

A History of Violence is a 2005 film, directed by David Cronenberg. It is based on a graphic novel (A History of Violence) by John Wagner. It stars Viggo Mortensen as the owner of a diner who is thrust into the spotlight after killing somebody in self-defense. The film was put into limited release on September 23, 2005, in the United States, and later went into wide-release September 30, 2005.

Plot

Tom Stall is a restaurant owner, living with his wife Edie, his son Jack, and his little daughter Sarah, in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana (The movie was actually filmed in Millbrook, Ontario, Canada). He becomes a local hero after defending himself and others in an attempted robbery, killing the robbers. When his story receives national attention, several members of the Philadelphia Irish mafia arrive in town, lead by the physically scarred Carl Fogarty. The manipulative Fogarty charges that Tom is someone named Joey Cusack who crossed them 20 years ago. This endangers the whole family.

Jack has always avoided fighting when bullied at school, but now attacks his tormentors. Then he is kidnapped by the mobsters, but freed in exchange for his father. Jack saves Tom's life by shooting Fogarty in the back with a shotgun, who is about to kill Tom. But this is shortly before Tom tells Fogarty he should have killed him in Philadelphia, helping satisfy Fogarty who finally gets Tom to admit who he really is. Tom now admits to Edie and Jack that he is Joey, and was a killer. They are upset and angry, but when the sheriff visits and asks if there was anything to what the mobsters said, Edie defends Tom, saying the sheriff should stop imagining things.

Now Joey's brother Richie, a psychotic crime boss, demands that Joey visit him in Philadelphia. Knowing all too well what his brother's ulterior motives are, Joey reluctantly drives to the city where he's greeted by one of Richie's hoods. The henchman drives Joey to a secluded estate in Pennsylvania, where a reunion is inevitable between Joey and Richie. But this is shortlived when Richie orders one of his men to kill Joey, but Joey turns the tables and kills Richie and his men. This ends in a surprisingly fast sequence when Joey quickly eradicates all of Richie's men. Both Joey and Richie are both left standing in front of each other, as Joey pulls the final trigger into his older brother's head.

The film ends with Joey returning to his family, who are having dinner at the moment, where he receives a weak welcome in a tense atmosphere.

Differences with graphic novel

Though the story seems to remain intact for the most part, several changes are present. In the film version, the protagonist's name at the beginning is Tom Stall instead of Tom McKenna, Ed Harris's character is named Carl Fogarty, instead of John Torrino, and Tom's son is named Jack instead of Buzz. The film also includes sex scenes not present in the graphic novels. The film depicts Richie as being Tom's brother, while in the book they are merely childhood friends. In the book, Richie is captured by mobsters and mutilated - his limbs cut off and eye taken out. In an act of mercy, Tom shoots him. The town in the film is "Millbrook, Indiana" while in the comic it is in Michigan. The mobsters are from Philadelphia in the movie while in the comic they are from Brooklyn, New York City.

According to the German press kit, David Cronenberg and screenwriter Josh Olson changed the names because Cronenberg didn't want people to think of the Mafia too early. However, these changes have created a rift between viewers of independent cinema and comic book purists. The independent film fans assert that Cronenberg's vision adds more depth and insight than the source material. The fans of the original graphic novel say that the plot has been eviscerated in favor of gratuitous sex scenes.

Cast

Viggo Mortensen
as Tom Stall
Maria Bello
as Edie Stall
Ed Harris
as Carl Fogarty
William Hurt
as Richie Cusack
Ashton Holmes as Jack Stall
Heidi Hayes as Sarah Stall
Stephen McHattie as Leland Jones
Greg Bryk as Billy Orser
Peter MacNeill as Sheriff Sam Carney
April Mullen
as Kid in Diner

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