I'm a great fan of David Cronenberg, but I've found some of the films that he's done in recent years to be uneven. All of them worthwhile, but occasionally weak in spots, and ultimately unconvincing. Until this one, which may well be his most seamlessly contructed film ever. As always, Cronenberg's theme is about that darkenss which lies deep beneath the placid exterior of "normal" life. This may be his darkest film yet, as Cronenberg is dealing not with sexual monstrosities or mutants, but with all-too-plausible real life situations. Viggo Mortensen plays a Midwestern shop owner suddenly thrust into the unwanted position of public 'hero" after he kills 2 murderers attempting to hold-up his place of business (one of the murderers is played by Stephen MacHattie, who was once talked about as one of the 70's "rising young stars"...I remember seeing him in a TV movie where he played James Dean...his career may not have risen as anticipated, but he's still capable of an unsettling performance, even though he isn't on the screen long).
Mortensen is a savvy enough actor to appreciate the wisdom that displaying less oftentimes conveys more when it comes to playing a part. His character here doesn't seem particularly introspective and we never get a clear idea how he feels internally about all that suddenly threatens the life he has established with his wife and family, or perhaps threatens what might only be a carefully constructed facade. He seems a decent, good-natured guy, but is that image an attempt to fool his family and the residents of his Indiana town? Is it an attempt to fool himself? A lot of what happens in the film will reverberate with you later as you think over what you've seen. How the past can exert its influence on us and those innocents around us whether we want it to or not. How certain elements of "character" that were ingrained into us long ago are there forever, no matter how ardently we'd like to pretend that they're not, no matter how intently we'd like to believe that we've transformed ourselves, redeemed ourselves.
One of the strongest scenes in the movie is when Mortensen's heretefore timid son (played well by Ashton Holmes) saves his life with a sudden act of violence, and the 2 exchange a meaningful look of recognition, horror, maybe even unexpected admiration. Not a word is spoken, but it doesn't have to be. This is what great directing, acting, and screenwriting are all about.
The cast is uniformly strong, with old reliables like scary Ed Harris and William Hurt creating unforgettable characters, and newcomers like sexy Maria Bello (there's a sexual scene between her and Mortensen where she demonstrates that sometimes that which repels us can simultaneously attract and excite us at the same time, which is sure to make some viewers very uncomfortable) and Homes acquitting themselves well.
Is this my favorite Cronenberg film? Probaby not. My personal favorites remain "They Came From Within" (also known as "Shivers") and maybe "Scanners" or "Rabid". Still, "A History of Violence" may well be Cronenberg's best film, his most flawless and unsettling. Considering Cronenberg's immense talent, that's a telling statement indeed.
