A History of Violence | Revisiting David Cronenberg's Suburban Nightmare
- Michael Field
- Jul 6
- 2 min read
This week on Forgotten Cinema, we’re trading the outlandish for the unsettling as we step into the quiet, brutal world of A History of Violence (2005), a film that proves David Cronenberg doesn’t need body horror to crawl under your skin.
Directed by Cronenberg and starring Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, and William Hurt, A History of Violence tells the story of Tom Stall, a small-town diner owner whose past comes crashing violently into his present after he thwarts an attempted robbery. What starts as an act of heroism becomes a slow-motion implosion of identity, family, and the mythology of American decency.
For this episode, we're on opposite sides of the booth. Field has long considered this movie as one of his favorite Cronenberg film — yes, even more than The Fly. He admires its stripped-down storytelling, tight 96-minute runtime, and the way Cronenberg uses sudden, shocking violence to peel back the veneer of normalcy.
Butler, however, isn’t quite as sold. While he appreciates the strong performances — especially Mortensen’s calm intensity — he questions whether the film’s impact has dulled over time. Has cinema simply become too desensitized to violence for A History of Violence to still feel as shocking as it did in 2005?
In this episode, we dig into:
Cronenberg’s approach to violence as both spectacle and infection
The performances that ground the film’s high-concept themes
How the film’s depiction of masculinity and redemption resonates almost 20 years later
Whether this adaptation of John Wagner’s graphic novel still feels essential in the era of prestige TV crime dramas
It’s a fascinating conversation about a film that straddles the line between thriller, Western, and psychological drama. And while we don’t always agree, we do find common ground in admiring how A History of Violence forces you to ask: How well do you ever really know someone?
Listen to this week’s episode of Forgotten Cinema wherever you get your podcasts or watch it on YouTube.
if you haven’t revisited A History of Violence in a while, consider giving it another look—it might feel different in 2024 than it did in 2005.
Why You Should Watch A History of Violence
If you’re searching for a smart, unsettling crime thriller that goes beyond the usual tropes, A History of Violence is worth your time. Cronenberg’s film is both a lean genre exercise and a deeper exploration of how violence seeps into the fabric of family and community. From its acclaimed performances to its lasting influence, this is a film that continues to spark debate — just ask us.
Comments