A History of Violence

[comfortablynumb]

My son saw this on a first date. Let's just say it was a wee bit uncomfortable, according to him and her.

[Deleted]

William Hurt, when did you stop being a great actor and become a joke? He was pathetic.

I completely agree. I just saw this movie over the weekend and he was craptastical. (And he got an Academy Award nomination for that? GAH!) And for the love of god–a Philadelphia accent is very distinct, and not ANYTHING like the Billy-Crystal-doing-the-elderly-Jewish-man voice blended with some random Brooklynese that Hurt did—badly. And a Philly mobster who lives on the Main Line? Uh, no.

My feelings on the movie were much like when I walked out of In the Bedroom—just baffled by all the praise.

[Deleted]

Oh man. I thought this was one of the best movies I saw last year! I loved everything about it from the dark, dark humor to the sex scenes and all of the acting. The ending was one of the most intense things I have ever seen. I think that this is one of Cronenberg's most accessible films and was surprised that it didn't get more attention from awards and critics.

When I saw this in the theater, a person sitting a few rows behind me was loudly disgusted with the film. Right after it ended (and when I was trying to collect my thoughts after the film) the guy stood up and yelled "What the fuck was that?!?" and threw his drink across the theater. This violent reaction sort of jarred people and there was a rush for the exit. It would have been funny after almost any other film (and it is funny in retrospect), but after AHOV, it was pretty scary. I know I grabbed my stuff and ran and a lot of other people did the same thing.

[frieswiththat]

I had expected...more. After it was over I just had no idea why this film was made. It seemed like such a waste of everyone's time, especially mine.

And now after seeing "The Cooler" I have to say gosh, is poor Maria Bello never offered a role where she doesn't have to simulate sex? I am so tired of gratuitous sex scenes.

[Deleted]

I loved the idea behind this film; presenting an over-the-top representation of the "ideal American family" and then completely subverting that. However, I didn't actually like the film itself. The ridiculously blond daughter with the bad dream, cheesy dialogue, bullied son and chearleader sex fantasy was all done on purpose. It was supposed to be over-the-top because it was presenting us with the image of what is often viewed as the typical American family. Cronenberg, then spends the rest of the film subverting that image.

However, I just didn't end up liking the film itself. And count me among the people who found the Maria Bello nudity gratuitous and outright sexist.

[MrsCatHead]

As usual, I hate when the action moves to a diff. place. Sometimes this works, but sometimes it doesn't. I don't think it worked in this film.

Also, I get the urgency and the whys of Viggo's character and the sex on the stairs. But not for Maria Bello's character. Did she just seek a connection with the man she believed her husband to be and sought it through sex? and then felt conflicted and confused? I just thought it was kinda stupid and didn't work. I think Cronenberg just wanted to be shocking and illicit.

[Deleted]

I thought it was going to be more like a rape, with Viggo asserting his dominance over his wife and his place in the household. I was waiting for Maria Bello to struggle or try to get out from under him, but instead it appears that she's enjoying the sex with him. I didn't really get that.

[Deleted]

I thought it was going to be more like a rape, with Viggo asserting his dominance over his wife and his place in the household. I was waiting for Maria Bello to struggle or try to get out from under him, but instead it appears that she's enjoying the sex with him. I didn't really get that.

I watched the "making of" scene on the dvd and it was explained as Edie realizing that there is a new dimension to her sexuality. She realizes that her husband has this whole other side and it sort of turns her on and allows her to act agressively and with violence. She, at that point, is fucking Joey the gangster, not her husband Tom, and she likes it and hates herself for liking it. Watching the film, I saw it as her trying to reconcile her feelings for her husband. She knows him intimately yet doesn't know him at all. She hates him but she loves him and wants him. I also saw it as an examination of how closely related love, hate, sex and violence are. I thought it was an incredibly powerful scene that ultimately said a lot about the characters.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the explanation. The "knowing him intimately but not knowing him at all" made me wonder why she didn't grab the kids and get the hell out of Dodge right away. He could have been capable of anything, including violence toward them.

[Deleted]

Ok, but can anyone explain why William Hurt was considered so ground breaking that he received award nominations? Him wandering around calling people Bro-heem didn't do much for me.