A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Year: 2005
USA: New Line Cinema
UK: Entertainment Film Distributors
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed Harris, Ashton Holmes, Heidi Hayes, Stephen McHattie, Greg Bryk, Peter MacNeill, Steve Arbuckle, Sumela Kay, Ian Matthews, April Mullen, Kyle Schmid, David Ireland, Jason Barbeck, Morgan Kelly, Neven Pajkic, Connor Price, Evan Rose
Director: David Cronenberg
Country: USA
USA & UK: 96 mins
USA Rated: R for strong brutal violence, graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some drug use
UK Certificate: 18 contains strong language and strong, bloody violence
USA Release Date: 30 September 2005 (Limited Release - wider)
USA Release Date: 23 September 2005
UK Release Date: 30 September 2005
Synopsis
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 friends in the self-defense killings of two-sought-after criminals.
Heralded as a hero, Tom's life is changed overnight, attracting a national media circus, which forces him into the spotlight. Uncomfortable with his newfound celebrity, Tom tries to return to the normalcy of his ordinary life only to be confronted by a mysterious and threatening man (Ed Harris) who arrives in town believing Tom is the man who's wronged him in the past. As Tom and his family fight back against this case of mistaken identity and struggle to cope with their changed reality, they are forced to confront their relationships and the divisive issues which surface as a result.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE is directed by acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg (CRASH, SPIDER, DEAD RINGERS) from a screenplay by Josh Olson. The film stars Viggo Mortensen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS, HIDALGO), Maria Bello (THE COOLER), William Hurt (THE VILLAGE, Oscar-winning KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN), Ed Harris (POLLACK) and Ashton Holmes.
The motion picture shot in Toronto and in various countryside locations, including Millbrook, Ontario for 11 weeks from September through to 19 November 2004.