A History of Violence (2005)

Audiences gave this a C+ CinemaScore, which tracks, because it’s a crime thriller that keeps asking whether you should be enjoying it. Viggo Mortensen plays Tom, a soft-spoken diner owner in a little Indiana town who deals with two dangerous drifters a little too well. Then Ed Harris walks in calling him Joey, and Mortensen’s face starts doing two jobs at once. Maria Bello is terrific as Edie, a wife suddenly unsure who she married, and Ashton Holmes gives the son’s story real sting. David Cronenberg keeps the violence fast and ugly on purpose, so it never feels cool. The problem is the last act. William Hurt shows up for a late stretch so big and strange it nearly tips into comedy, and the story wraps up in a hurry. It made $61.2 million worldwide on a reported $32M. An 8.4 because it’s lean, smart and sneaky, even when the finale wobbles. $876.55 says you look at the quiet neighbor who fixes everything and decide not to ask how he learned.

What works: Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello are superb, and Cronenberg makes every act of violence feel heavy instead of exciting.

What doesn’t: William Hurt’s late appearance is so over the top it breaks the spell, and the final act feels rushed compared to the slow build.

Who it’s for: Grown-up thriller fans who like quiet tension, sharp performances and endings that leave room to think.